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Re: [PROPOSAL] Final consensual proposal for the problematic firmware issue in the linux kernel sources.



"Kevin B. McCarty" <kmccarty@Princeton.EDU> wrote:

> I second the proposal below.  It explicitly takes effect only for Etch,
> and it will allow installation on machines requiring tg3 net drivers (of
> which I have one).
>
> I believe this is the fourth second, so it only needs one more?

Yes, me.  I was confused earlier (I thought that seconding this proposal
would delay the vote on the other ones).  So here's my second:

> Sven Luther wrote:
>
>>  === START OF PROPOSAL ===
>> Definition: For the purpose of this resolution, the "firmware" mentioned below
>> designates binary data included in some of the linux kernel drivers, usually as
>> hex-encoded variables and whose purpose is to be loaded into a given piece of
>> hardware, and be run outside the main memory space of the main processor(s).
>> 
>>   1. We affirm that our Priorities are our users and the free software
>>      community (Social Contract #4);
>> 
>>   2. We acknowledge that there is a lot of progress in the kernel firmware
>>      issue, both upstream and in the debian packaging; however, it is not
>>      yet finally sorted out.
>> 
>>   3. We give priority to the timely release of Etch over sorting every bit out;
>>      for this reason, we will treat removal of problematic firmware as a
>>      best-effort process, and in no case add additional problematic material
>>      to the upstream released kernel tarball.
>> 
>>   4. We allow inclusion of such firmware into Debian Etch, even if their license
>>      does not normally allow modification, as long as we are legally allowed to
>>      distribute them.
>> 
>>   5. We further note that some of these firmware do not have individual license,
>>      and thus implicitly fall under the generic linux kernel GPL license.
>>      We will include these firmware in Debian Etch and review them after the
>>      release. Vendors of such firmware may wish to investigate the licensing
>>      terms, and make sure the GPL distribution conditions are respected,
>>      especially with regards to source availability.
>> 
>>   6. We will include those firmware into the debian linux kernel package as well
>>      as the installer components (.udebs) used by the debian-installer.
>>  ==== END OF PROPOSAL ====

Yup.  That one.

-- 
Dr. Frank Küster
Single Molecule Spectroscopy, Protein Folding @ Inst. f. Biochemie, Univ. Zürich
Debian Developer (teTeX/TeXLive)

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