Re: [YET-ANOTHER-AMENDMENT]: Release Etch now, with source-less but legal and freely licensed firmware
Hi,
Err, that is a regression from the current version. Option 3
got dropped from what we have now.
,----
| 1. We affirm that our Priorities are our users and the free software
| community (Social Contract #4);
| 2. We acknowledge that there is a lot of progress in the kernel
| firmware issue; however, it is not yet finally sorted out;
| 3. We assure the community that there will be no regressions in
| the progress made for freedom in the kernel distributed by
| Debian relative to the Sarge release in Etch
| 4. We give priority to the timely release of Etch over sorting every
| bit out; for this reason, we will treat removal of problematic
| firmware as a best-effort process, and deliver firmware in debian
| kernel packages as well as installation packages (.udebs), as
| part of Debian Etch.
| 5. Unfortunately, some firmware required for installation is
| distributed under license terms that do not allow
| modification. In order to facilitate timely release of Etch, we
| will allow the inclusion of these unmodifiable pieces in the
| kernel, as long as we are legally allowed to distribute them, and
| they are required for installation.
| 6. We further note that some of the firmware does not have a proper
| license, and as thus falls implicitly under the generic Linux
| kernel GPL license. We defer the investigation of whether the
| firmware is in the preferred form of modification as implied by
| the distribution under the GPL until after Etch is released. In
| the interim, we extend the benefit of the doubt to those hardware
| vendors who released the firmware under the GPL, and will include
| them in Debian etch.
| 7. We will work with those firmware vendors post-etch, to resolve
| any remaining incompatibilities, including (but not limited to)
| clarification of the license, provision of the preferred form or
| modification, or any other action that will allow the ekrnel to
| comply rigorously with the DFSG.
`----
manoj
--
Don't practice an ignoble way of life, don't indulge in a careless
attitude. Don't follow a wrong view, and don't be attached to the
world. 167
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/~srivasta/>
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