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Re: please release sarge instead of removing binary firmware



On Thu, Apr 15, 2004 at 05:25:30PM -0400, Allan Wind wrote:
> 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?

FWIW, this is my impression as well; but it doesn't look like there's
still pressing concern about GPL compatibility here, just about
DFSG-compliance, which would seem to require splitting the firmware out
at some point so that we can keep our kernels in main.

-- 
Steve Langasek
postmodern programmer

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