Bug#493925: binary firmware in drivers/char/drm/mga_ucode.h

[Robert Millan <rmh@aybabtu.com>]

Package: linux-2.6
Version: 2.6.26-1
Severity: serious

Hi,

Now that it seems clear 2.6.26 will be the version used for the release, I'd
like to bring back attention on pruning it from code under DFSG violation,
GPL-incompatible, or unlicensed blobs.

Based on maks mail in:

  http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=242866#308

  "file a separate report on each issue that you find and we'll analyse your
  findings"

I'll file a separate report on each issue I find.  Will try to make them as
detailed as possible.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

drivers/char/drm/mga_ucode.h (licensed under BSD-style terms) is entirely
composed of binary code, such as:

static unsigned char warp_g200_tgz[] = {

        0x00, 0x80, 0x00, 0xE8,
        0x00, 0x80, 0x00, 0xE8,
	[...]

drivers/char/drm/mga_warp.c relies on those chunks of non-free code.

Since the licensing terms allow redistribution, shipping it is not illegal but
is a DFSG violation.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 4.0
  APT prefers stable
  APT policy: (500, 'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.18-6-amd64
Locale: LANG=ca_AD.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=ca_AD.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)