Bug#494120: binary firmware in drivers/media/dvb/frontends/tda10021.c
On Thu, Aug 07, 2008 at 07:52:36PM +0200, Robert Millan wrote:
> > By "small chunk", you mean 64 bytes of data. That's not a program; that's
> > almost certainly register initialization values, which are data, and there
> > is no requirement in the DFSG that arbitrary bits of data (which are too
> > short and lacking in originality to be covered by copyright anyway) be
> > distributed in a textual source form.
> You might have a point here; the root of the problem seems to be the
> definition of "source code", and the DFSG doesn't resolve this ambiguity.
> Some think "source code" is the preferred form of modification for any
> form of data, some think it only applies to certain types of data, etc.
> And then even "preferred" doesn't mean the same to everyone!
No, this entirely misses the point, which is that the DFSG does not require
source code for works which are not programs.
> Overall, it sounds like a gray area to me. Has this been discussed in
> -legal?
I don't remember, but it doesn't matter. -legal is an advisory body only.
It's been discussed on -legal, -kernel, and -release for sure.
> > You need to find yourself a more appropriate way to express your concerns
> > about such files
> Well, I usually express that I found a bug (or in some -rare!- cases, that
> I mistakenly think I found one) by filing it to the BTS.
For a matter such as this that you've acknowledged is a sensitive one, it
would be helpful if you would inform yourself of the currently applicable
guidelines before filing bug reports.
> > than by unilaterally declaring them to be release-critical
> > bugs.
> As usual, my assesment of severities is "best-effort". If a severity is
> wrong, we can surely discuss it!
> Do you mind if I reopen with non-RC severity, untill my question above has
> been clarified?
Yes, I mind. If there's not a DFSG violation here, then there is no bug
that the kernel team has any reason to fix. It is definitely not in our
interests to diverge from upstream over such an issue.
--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
slangasek@ubuntu.com vorlon@debian.org
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