Re: Squeeze, firmware and installation

[Martin Schulze <joey@infodrom.org>]

Holger Levsen wrote:
> On Freitag, 7. Mai 2010, Paul Wise wrote:
> > What makes it problematic to modify the install media (initrd I guess)
> > you downloaded and add the firmware?
> 
> For quite some people it's very difficult (hi bro!), for some it's impossible 
> (hi dad!) and for most of the rest it's a PITA (hi me!). And, for another 
> tiny fraction it is easy and smells like freedom.
> 
> Maybe we should really provide two sets of Debian install media for 
> squeeze, "pure Debian" and "Debian with non-free firmwarez included". Then, 
> after two releases we can look at the download statistics and see, if we want 
> to continue that...

I would rather not complicate the CD+DVD building process even more to
produce non-free images.  There are so many images that need to be
created already.

I would like us to provide non-free firmware blobs that may be
required during installation in tarballs that can be downloaded or -
if this is not possible - be loaded via USB sticks, floppies or
cdroms.  The installer would need a possibility to include such
firmware blobs and detect hardware again if required to continue the
installation process.

Regards,

	Joey

-- 
All language designers are arrogant.  Goes with the territory...
	-- Larry Wall