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Re: please release sarge instead of removing binary firmware



On 2004-04-15T16:04:30+1000, Anthony Towns wrote:
> The right thing to do is to fix the drivers so they load the firmware
> from userspace so that the GPL is clearly not violated, using the existing
> API to manage that. This can be done for most drivers after the system's
> booted, and for most other drivers from the initrd.

I do not understand why changing the dependency from compile-time to
run-time makes any difference.  If we cannot distribute the source with
the embedded firmware, then we cannot distribute the firmware alone
either unless the licenses is clarified (GPL is no good, as it violates
clause 3).  And to expand on aj's later thread, how can GPL cover
derrived work when that work contradicts the license?

Anyways, to follow this to it's logical conclusion, without firmware the
drivers may be useless so removal is perfectly logical unless the
copyright holder changes the license.  No one has negotiated with
upstream, right?


/Allan
-- 
Allan Wind
P.O. Box 2022
Woburn, MA 01888-0022
USA

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