Re: LCC and blobs
Michael Poole <mdpoole@troilus.org> wrote:
> Thomas Bushnell BSG writes:
>> And yet, in this case the non-freeness of the software isn't hurting
>> the user. The point isn't whether the firmware "exists", the point is
>> whether the user is being prevented from modifying it by licensing or
>> non-source-distribution restrictions.
>
> When the firmware is burned into the device, the user is prevented
> from modifying it in a rather more drastic and permanent fashion than
> when the restrictions are a matter of missing code or permissions.
Indeed. If I want to flash various bits of hardware I have, I need to
reverse engineer the flash method first. This isn't necessary if I have
a driver that uploads an image on every boot. If the firmware isn't in
flash, I'm completely screwed.
--
Matthew Garrett | mjg59-chiark.mail.debian.devel@srcf.ucam.org
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