Re: firmware position statement.
On Sat, Sep 30, 2006 at 11:12:23PM +0200, Sven Luther wrote:
> I like your statement, and i suppose it is a shame we didn't held this meeting
> ways earlier, because the discussion would sure have benefited from your input
> and your clear wording of this issue.
Just to be clear, the kernel team had an IRC meeting today to discuss the
firmware situation, and the mentioned position statement has emerged as a result.
At the moment not all kernel team members have approved it, its draft is
available in kernel team svn at
svn://svn.debian.org/svn/kernel/people/jurij/firmware-position-statement.txt
> The only point i would comment one, concerns 2), and i wonder if we should add
> something about the fact that those sourceless GPL firmwares, are most
> assuredly there by error and misinformation on the vendors part, as was the
> case for both the tg3 firmware and the qlogic ones, and that we expect the
> firmware copyright holder, once contacted, to quickly move the copyright
> licence into one of the two other categories, or even free it. Altough the
> most probable is that it will move to category 3).
I don't think we are in a position to speculate "what would happen if...".
> Also, the question that needs responding now, is what do we do with regard of
> the various GRs ? This position statement can be something that can be easily
> transformed into a GR with minimal changes, and it seems to me that at least
> Steve Langasek will be satisfied with it.
The statement regarding category 1 is obvious to me, and I don't think anybody in
their right mind would dispute the fact that we are not allowed to distribute
stuff for which we don't have a permission to do so. The statement regarding
categories 2 and 3 is basically "we support the idea of getting an exception for
etch". This opinion has been already voiced in Frederik's GR, so I don't think
it's worth duplicating it. I can't really prevent anyone from submitting this
statement as a GR, but I would not be the one to second it.
> Someone (not me) should post this position statement to debian-boot and
> debian-release, or to the d-i and RM team personally, and get their feedback
> on this, and then we can try to GRize it.
I would like to give it at least a day or two, so that the members of the team not
present at the meeting can read it and offer their opinions.
Best regards,
Jurij Smakov jurij@wooyd.org
Key: http://www.wooyd.org/pgpkey/ KeyID: C99E03CC
Reply to: