Andrew M.A. Cater wrote:
On Sun, Apr 08, 2007 at 07:44:13PM +0100, andy wrote:HelloI have, since installing Etch, been downloading packages with regard for functionality and because I wanted that program, rather than focusing on whether or not that package was non-free or free (with respect to the Debian commitment to free software).I am curious about the packages I currently have installed that aren't free (I know about the w32codecs and the flashplayer-plugin, for example). Is there a way of auditing this?
I would also point out that the Debian definition of free software isn't necessarily authoritative. You are welcome to disagree and use a package without any moral qualms (if you believe that using free software is moral). For example, I do not agree with the exclusion of things like fonts, firmware, and some other program data from main -- but the beauty of Debian is that these things are still available to us even though the project feels they aren't free. For example, the non-free Broadcom wireless firmware was a few clicks away for me by simply installing the bcm43xx-fwcutter package from contrib. Voila--instant wireless on my PowerBook. Not 30 seconds after installing that package, my home wireless network showed up in the NetworkManager icon. You don't even have to search Google for the Windows driver. Now if they could only figure out some way to do something similar for the Intel Centrino radios...
Andrew