Re: Call for votes (Was: kernel firmwares: GR proposal)
On Thu, Sep 28, 2006 at 05:02:13PM +0200, Frederik Schueler wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On Wed, Sep 27, 2006 at 06:40:41PM +0200, Kurt Roeckx wrote:
> > > 2. We acknowledge that there is a lot of progress in the kernel firmware
> > > issue; however, it is not yet finally sorted out;
> >
> > So, what progress has been made?
>
> For example:
>
> - the firmware_class infrastructure has been added in more than 100
> drivers (as of 2.6.17)
>
> - the qla2xxx firmware has been dropped from the kernel sources, and is
> now shiped on ftp.qlogic.com
>
> - new drivers for devices requiring a firmware to be uploaded during
> initialization are included without embedded firmware (for example the
> ipw3945 driver, or aic94xx which has just been added in 2.6.19-rc)
Broadcom and qlogic where approached from the legalese angle, to clarify their
implicit-GPL-but-no-source licence over firmware, which made those firmwares
undistributable. Everyone laughed at us over this, even upstream, but we got
a serious and interested response from the vendors, and after longish
discussions they provided new clarified licence. We intent to do more of this
later on, but with the pressure of the release out of the way, and it is stuff
that cannot be rushed upstream.
Also, we prefer to concentrate for now on technical issues, using our DD time
to make sure etch's kernel are as bug free as possible, and solving tedious
licencing issues is secondary at best.
Friendly,
Sven Luther
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