Re: On installation media and firmware [Re: New section for firmware]
Frans Pop <elendil@planet.nl> writes:
> On Wednesday 24 December 2008, Don Armstrong wrote:
>> It would be nice if you (or someone else) would then explain[1] why
>> having a limited set of d-i images + cd images which contained the
>> non-free firmware necessary for certain hardware to boot would be an
>> intractable solution. From where I sit, the major issues with it would
>> be:
>
> The major issue is that it does not solve all use-cases where firmware is
> needed. It does not solve the problem for netboot installations, nor for
> hd-media installations.
1) So you are saying the NIC can netboot without firmware just fine
but won't work under linux at all?
2) Also which hd-media installations need firmware to access udebs?
3) A d-i image which contained the non-free firmware would work just
fine for netboot or hd-media.
Also it does not have to solve all use-cases. It just has to solve
more than without this solution. Further not all install media have to
work all the time. So what if the netboot.iso won't work and you need
a non-free-businesscard.iso due to firmware udebs? As long as it
allows at least one method to work and allows more people to install
Debian than without that is a plus.
> Also, D-I currently does not support switching CDs during early parts of
> the installation. Implementing that would be a fairly major pain.
With a cd image which contains the firmware there is no need to switch
the CD to a second just firmware image.
> We don't want to have users jump through hoops. Having to burn an
> additional image just for firmware and having to switch to that image and
> then switch back to the installation image is IMO a major hoop.
The hoops are for the debian-cd team to jump through, for them to
generate a 100% free and an actually usable image. Just like there was
cd1 and cd1+non-us a while back there would be cd1 and cd1+firmware.
> It also does not really add anything to the option we already have to load
> firmware from removable media.
It would remove the need for the user to jump through hoops to create
and use a second removable media. Plus you said above CD switching
isn't possible early on.
> Cheers,
> FJP
MfG
Goswin
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