Re: gr_lenny vs gr_socialcontract
On Fri, Dec 19 2008, Marc Haber wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 12:09:55AM -0600, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
>> For what it is worth, at work we had to install Lenny on
>> machines which have the broadcom netextreme 2 ethernet cards (bnx2
>> firmware needed). The netinst installer worked wonderfully, grabbing
>> the firmware from a usb key loaded with non-free firmware.
>
> Putting an USB key into most of my servers requires some hours of
> driving and jumping through security hoops to get datacenter access.
> In some cases, it may be possible to mail the USB key and to pay
> outrageous fees for remote hands.
>
> I'd prefer an OS which allows full remote installation that does not
> need some kind of physical access.
I suspect it would not be hard to create a non-free installer CD
that obviates the requirement of a separate USB key for remote
installs.
Let us face it: there are always going to be bits of hardware
that can not be supported with free software; users might always have
to deal with either refraining from buying such hardware (which is not
always feasible), using a non-free installer, going a more
inconvenient route, or using a different OS. As always, Debian is nto
for everyone, and our commitment to the freedom, and just not being
windows, means there are going to be people who can not use Debian.
I tend to come down hard on the side of not compromising my
principles for temporary convenience or popularity (or, if you will,
market share).
To paraphrase: Those who give up essential freedoms for
temporary convenience and popularity deserve neither.
manoj
--
"The highest form of pure thought is in mathematics." Plato
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/~srivasta/>
1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B 924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C
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