Bug#311525: kernel-source-2.6.11: Cannot use kernel on Dell GX280 because tg3 removed

[Horms <horms@debian.org>]

On Thu, Jun 02, 2005 at 10:13:28PM +0200, maximilian attems wrote:
> On Wed, 01 Jun 2005, Andrei Emeltchenko wrote:
> 
> > I have Dell GX280 and because of removing tg3.c cannot use
> > network. Is there any other solution like compiling
> > modules (i.e. nvidia-source) or somebody just removed
> > drivers because of his  beleives?
> 
> yeaah please either read other bug reports concerned by tg3
> or read d-k there you find hints where do get those non-free bits.

A slightly longer description of the problem 
as seen on http://lists.debian.org/debian-kernel/2005/05/msg00077.html

This has been brought up and answered several times a week for
the past few months. Its an unfortunate system but here is the
situation:

1. There are some bits of code from upstream that can't be included
   in main, and thus kernel-image packages, because of licencing
   concerns. In a nutshell they aren't considered DFSG free.

2. These have been moved into the nonfree package mentioned earlier in
   the thread. This will be uploaded to debian. However, there
   are some concernes about the distibutability of some of
   the drivers in the package, and until that is all cleaned up
   it can't be uploaded.

   http://www.acm.cs.rpi.edu/~dilinger/kernel-source-nonfree-2.6.11/

3. In the mean time anyone who needs those drivers has to tediously
   search the internet and find a message like this one linking to
   the URL, or use the Kernel.Org kernel. Clearly this sux and 
   I sympathise with complaints about it, even though I am 
   a member of the team that has created this mess.

-- 
Horms