Re: Bug#285518: misdn-utils includes a firmware loader

[Matthew Garrett <mgarrett@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Glenn Maynard <glenn@zewt.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 02:37:45AM +0000, Matthew Garrett wrote:
>> Glenn Maynard <glenn@zewt.org> wrote:
>> 
>> > No, there's a very concrete reason: given an installation of Debian
>> > main, the driver works.  Drivers that require non-free firmware don't
>> > work out of the box; 
>> 
>> The vast, vast majority of drivers require non-free firmware.
> 
> Hmm.  A few places to draw the "dependency from driver to firmware"
> line seem to be:

No, that's not what you said. There's some room to quibble over whether
a dependency exists - there's no room to quibble over whether a
requirement exists. Almost all modern hardware either contains firmware
or requires firmware to be uploaded. Therefore, almost all drivers
require firmware, since otherwise the hardware they drive would not
exist. 

Please, let's be honest about what requirements software has.

-- 
Matthew Garrett | mjg59-chiark.mail.debian.devel@srcf.ucam.org