Kernel-firmware package and Anaconda.

[Bram_Gro]

Alan Cox wrote:
> On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:23:14 +0200
> Bram_Gro <Bram_Gro at lavabit.com> wrote:
> 
>> So the only thing that needs to be done to create a completely open 
>> source Fedora system, is adding the kernel-firmware package to 
>> yum.config exclusion list, so it wont be installed during kernel updates?
> 
> And one assumes reflash your BIOS with your own code, as well as the in
> ROM firmware on your graphics cards etc.
> 
> There is a real question about at what point you decide something is or
> isn't "too dependant" on something proprietary - you have ROM firmware
> running on other CPUs, ROM based BIOS type code running on the main CPU,
> CPU microcode, RAM based (downloaded) firmware onto other processors, and
> RAM based host CPU stuff without source (aka proprietary applications,
> naughty drivers etc)
> 
> Where you draw that line (both morally and legally) is non-trivial,
> especially for the notion of "free software" as opposed to the rather
> looser idea of "open source"
> 
> Firmware is a very tricky one. If you take downloaded microcode for
> some other CPU on the system some would argue its better to have it
> binary than in ROM as the device is then hackable, others the reverse.
> 
> Alan
> 

I don't want to go that far. Thats exactly why I called it "open source" 
and not free, to avoid philosophical discussions.
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To maintain a (open source) Fedora installation, is adding the 
kernel-firmware package to yum.config exclusion list sufficient, or are 
there more pitfalls?