Re: firmware or software? was Re: ITP plex86, if it complies to DFSG
On Tue, 12 Dec 2000, Hamish Moffatt wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 12, 2000 at 12:03:02PM +0100, Paul Slootman wrote:
> > The VGA BIOS *is* run on the host CPU. I'd consider it firmware anyway,
> > as it pretty much fits the dictionary description:
> >
> > Programming instructions that are stored in a read-only memory
> > unit rather than being implemented through software.
>
> Mmm, that sounds reasonable. I'm not sure what the best explanation
> is now. Maybe there is no real issue, as long as the binaries (data files) are
> freely distributable.
That sounds pretty reasonable to me too. Except, there is a little bit of
a grey area, and I'd like to shrink that down as much as possible to
exclude things like applications. Perhaps stating that 'firmware' is an
intermediate layer below the device driver which allows the device driver
to interface with the device, would work. I can write something up in a
few days (finals, ugh!) and post it here. Is there any need to bring this
up to policy, though?
Outline:
firmware:
BIOS codes
code for a peripheral device that depends on an host for
proper use (would exclude handheld application software)
CPU microcode
Not firmware:
ROM images of electronic video games (?) (theorhetical
point mainly)
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