kernel-libre (hopefully 100% Free) for Fedora 8 and rawhide

[Alan Cox]

> There's a fundamental ethical difference that I've already explained
> but you seem to be unwilling to acknowledge, let alone understand.
> This is where I stop taking part in arguing this point with you.

I think we disagree because I'm looking at the whole systems question
of how to get Linux and free software to work (and I think that is why
the FSF was pragmatic about its licencing too)

> 1. Free Software for non-Free interpreters is acceptable: someone could
> create a Free interpreter and then anyone could use both in freedom.

So you don't oppose us shipping microcode updates then ?

> 2. because without the exclusion it would have been impossible to
> distribute these Free programs in binary form in the first place,
> before some completely Free operating system started.  And then,
> there's always a possibility that someone writes a drop-in replacement
> library that would enable the binary to be used in freedom.

#2 is my argument for the firmware essentially - and I'm definitely in
favour of it being a separate package to the kernel so people know which
is which.

There are still hard cases where the microcode/firmware really is just
hex or tables.


Alan