Re: non-main non-firmware software and Debian installation
On Sat, Sep 10, 2022 at 08:51:21AM +0800, Paul Wise wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> While firmware is the most important category of software not available
> in Debian main needed by Debian users at install time, there are others.
>
Hi Paul,
I think there's a couple of issues here that need untangling.
As you say, there's a spectrum of needs and users:
Some people - including participants in this discussion - are content
to have a system with no extra firmware loadable. Other people are
happy to have all firmware, firmware updates from a manufacturer -
and all shades in between.
This GR is essentially about
* whether we should include non-free firmware in an installer produced by
the media team for Debian
* what precedence we should give that and whether we should continue to
produce an installer with no non-free firmware in addition
Moving software to a new nonfree-firmware section means that we can be
more clear about what is firmware and what is not. In some sense, nothing
changes - Debian has always supported freedom and also its users. We can
be honest that firmware is often required and that not all software is
under our control - that's a necessary point to make.
Whether this changes the SC at this point is probably a better subject
for another GR in due course. It would be good and useful to make
this GR as simple as possible and no simpler.
Multiplying installers might be a complexity too far at this or any other
stage.
With all the very best, as ever,
Andy Cater
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