That was the conversation in detail, nothing altered, nothing left
out, read and draw your own conclusions.
As it was said, it's "appalling" and "disrespectful". The tread really
show how focus you and FreBSD is not focus on the issue really. Or have
no clue how to fight it. You even admit FreeBSD's guilt.
Sorry, I'm not angry, I'm focused and productive.
I guess may be I am a little angry to see the shortsighted views of some
BSD's and how they undermine the efforts of others for their own
benefit. I guess it is somewhat expected. I thought the BSD's had more
integrity then others. I guess not. Market share is what they are after
isn't it?
If you really want to be "focus and productive", first, start by
removing the BLOB's from FreeBSD, get the other BSD's to do the same,
then talk with one unify voice.
Then and only then will you get the ears of the vendors and really start
fighting back the BLOB's issue for real! Then and only then will you get
my respect, my support and even my financial support if need be.
You talk about freedom of choice, you are not helping it!
I just wish I could find a logo from vendor on hardware saying that the
hardware is fully supported in open source without BLOB, by real open
documentations, without NDA.
Then, and only then "my freedom of choice" would be fully respected and
I could pick good hardware and pay with MY hard earn money, for hardware
that is fully respectful of me the buyer!
But, I can't get full specs many times before buying it and then get
stuck with it and go sale it back on E*Bay as bad hardware from low life
narrow minded vendor that do not understand that providing
documentations on how to talk to their hardware makes it good for them,
their bottom line and the users and DO NOT undermine any of their
intellectual property in anyway.
No code is asked of them in anyway, no secret is asked of them in
anyway, just the documentations on how to talk to their interfaces so
that good drivers can be written for the hardware I pay for and that
will make their reputations better in the end with good reliable and
performant hardware support for my choice of OS, me the customer that
pay for the hardware to start with.
The issue is clear and simple really. Documentations on how to use the
interface of hardware, no secrets, no special treatments, no source
code, no NDA, and no BLOB's, that's it!
Anything else in your campaign is just a big fat lie and a twisted
shortsighted narrow minded ways to deal with the issue.
Lead by example and show the way, first by doing what you preach!
At a minimum that's what Theo and OpenBSD at large is doing.
They are leading the way and showing you how to do it too. Just listen.
Theo and OpenBSD at large including all the developers in it, gets a
hell of a lots of respect from me for doing so. And I support the
project as much as I possibly can, including developers as well when I
can. And as long as they keep their integrity as it is, that's not going
to change either. I did it, I am doing it and I will continue to do it.
They get my vote and $ as well!
I sure hope you see the light soon. But if you really want to start a
campaign like this, I salute you, however, do it right. Or don't do it
at all.
Start by doing what you try to preach and remove your own BLOB's first.
Then I will listen, and may be many more as well.
With all due respect and I am sure you mean well, but you go at it the
wrong way.
Best,
Daniel Ouellet
PS: A small business owner that strongly rely everyday on OpenBSD
security, ingenuity's, innovations, integrity, stability, track record,
and openness to earn a living for himself, his family and his employees!
I sure couldn't say that of FreeBSD or trust any other BSD's for that
matter on a day to day business. I wouldn't know what would sneak in my
business without my knowledge via BLOB, or other ways.
Or when a vendor decide for me, when I need to trash my hardware because
it is not supported anymore (because no one can or will fix BLOB's). I
am not even going to say anything about other open source projects as
the story is to sad there too. Nor will I care to talk about commercial
OS that can't be stable or secure and let me sleep comfortable at night,
or when I actually can.
That's what OpenBSD allow me to do, can you say the same?
Oh, don't even answer that question, your actions and choices of BLOB's
integrations speaks very loudly just by itslef!
