Re: [gNewSense-users] Firmware - out of the kernel but still in the hardware?

[Karl Goetz]

Dennis Kibbe wrote:
> gNewSense takes the firmware out of the kernel but what about the
> hardware?
>
> For example, the Intel 2200 chipset doesn't work with gNewSense because
> of firmware blobs missing from /lib/firmware.  The Netgear MA-401 PCMCIA
> card does work, but isn't that just because the firmware is in the
> chipset in the card instead of in the kernel?
You can return a defective card because the firmware doesn't work. you 
cant return a defective kernel :) and debian/ubuntu/gns dont update 
kernels (abi+api) after a release is stable, so saying 'you can update 
the firmware easier' doesn't really hold in this case.

> If that's the case then the end result is the same, isn't it?
The difference is the firmware is already there, so its not like you 
have an option about it (its in hardware in some way). if your loading 
binary firmware from the kernel your loading non-free code.

> Of course we need to start somewhere and gNewSense is a great project
> that I will use on all my computers and support it within our group.

My Alpha workstation has firmware, i use it for loading the OS. 
Sometimes you have to live with non-free firmware because its part of 
the system :)
kk

> Dennis Kibbe


--
Karl Goetz
The buck stops there -> $
Australian Ubuntu users team - http://wiki.ubuntu.com/AustralianTeam