Hi, On 8/23/22 22:22, Bart Martens wrote:
Debian would recommend the one with non-free-firmware, for the purposes of enabling users to install on current hardware, but both would be available.
Do we need to recommend one above the other? I'd rather use some short explanation per installer to help the user choose.
This. Both installers have trade-offs: Free installer: - will not work with some hardware + fully supported + can be redistributed freely Installer including firmware: + supports more hardware - some bugs might be unfixable - users need to be aware of non-free licensesThe third point is something we can and should address in the medium term: so far, license checks for non-free components have been mostly "can Debian redistribute this" and "can users install this". DSC#5 explicitly says that if you want to redistribute non-free packages yourself, the onus of checking all the individual licenses is on you.
From the perspective of an end user who already has bought the hardware, and who will happily click on every "I agree" to get a working system and then proceed to ignore any license terms they were presented with, it is clear which installer is preferable.
However, Debian is one of the few distributions left that actually support users other than individuals without a support contract, and the free installer is definitely interesting to corporate users for the same reason free software is: because it is safe from a legal point of view, and because it is virtually guaranteed that you will be able to get support from *someone* as there are no gatekeepers.
I was able to use Debian in a lot of places because I could point the legal department at the DSC and the DFSG, and say "I'm going to need about 300 different software packages, all of their licenses fulfill these criteria, is that good for you?"
IMO: Both installers should be on the same download page, with a brief explanation on who should select which (like we used to have in package descriptions), and possibly a longer page explaining this in more detail.
This still needs to be reconciled with the DSC, however, because the DSC promises something the installer with non-free firmware does not hold.
The way I'd put it:
Choose your installer
With non-free firmware: Without non-free firmware:
Better hardware[1] support Completely free software[2]
according to the Debian Social
Contract[3]
* **multiarch netinstall** * multiarch netinstall
* **multiarch** * multiarch
* amd64 (PC) * amd64 (PC)
* arm64 * arm64
* Other architectures[4] * Other architectures[4]
If you are unsure which installer to select, use a variant including
non-free firmware, as it contains files that may be required to
operate some hardware. If none are necessary on your machine, there
will be no difference in what both variants install. You will also
be given a summary at the end of the installation if non-free
firmware files are required or available for your hardware, and no
reinstallation is needed to switch later.
If you are installing a single machine that has an Internet
connection, use the "netinstall" image, which is significantly
smaller and will download only selected components.
Additional license terms may apply to the non-free firmware
components. Debian has verified only that they can be legally
distributed to and used by end users. If you have additional
requirements it is advised that you check these against the terms[5]
imposed by the hardware vendors. Debian can also only offer limited
support for these components, as license terms usually prohibit
deeper investigation into problems, or modifications.
[1] points to a hardware compatibility list
[2] points to the DFSG
[3] points to the DSC
[4] points either to an anchor on the same page, or a separate page with
a full list
[5] points either to the hardware compatibility list if the licenses are
linked there, or a separate page with a collection of the license files
from the non-free firmware packages included in the installer
Key design points: - two columns, side-by-side - avoiding the word "official" completely- the DFSG and DSC have a prominent place and are set in contrast with the non-free images - the "multiarch netinstall" and "multiarch" variants including non-free firmware are highlighted - the list of architectures is kept short so people don't miss the following paragraph - The explanation starts with "If you are unsure", which should pick up exactly those users who need it. - The explanation highlights that this is not a grave choice you have to live with for all eternity. - The "netinstall" explanation goes above the information for corporate users.
I'm not entirely sure what this would translate to in GR terms, probably something along the lines of
---Debian recognizes that some modern hardware requires firmware components that do not fulfill the DFSG, and that these may be needed at installation time. As our priorities are our users, and free software, we provide an installer image that includes these components, and inform users that these, like the "non-free" archive component, are not covered by the Debian Social Contract and provided on a best-effort basis.
---This, IMO, resolves the conflict with the DSC by clarifying that we are making an exception here and why, and highlights that we still do not believe our users' needs are or can be adequately met by non-free software.
Simon
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