Re: Bug#383465: Contains obfuscated source code, DFSG violation?
On Thu, Aug 17, 2006 at 02:12:17PM +0100, Matthew Garrett wrote:
> Package: xserver-xorg-video-nv
> Version: 1:1.0.1.5-2
> Severity: serious
>
<snip>
> The idea that nvidia do not posess an electronic list of register names
> and offsets is entirely implausible. The only rational explanation is
> that register information is postprocessed out in order to reduce
> information leakage. The shipped code is certainly not the preferred
> form for modification, and according to prevailing attitudes on
> debian-legal should be removed from Debian.
I'm not going to alter the severity because I agree with it to some degree.
But what I'd like to do is set it to wishlist and title it "Please
de-obfuscate the nv driver". It is feasible to do so if you have the will
and the hardware (I lack the latter, and my commitments make me lack the
former). Ideally it'd be a script we could run over the code every time
rather than patch that we'd have to port upon each upstream release.
If some enterprising Free Software advocate wants to work on this, they
have my full support and cooperation where I can offer it.
- David Nusinow
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