[Mageia-dev] Removal of non-free firmware from core section

[xi]

Wolfgang Bornath wrote:
> 2011/11/10 xi <ctrl.alt.sup at free.fr>:
>> Wolfgang Bornath wrote:
>>> 2011/11/10 Frank Griffin <ftg at roadrunner.com>:
>>>> On 11/10/2011 02:25 AM, Johnny A. Solbu wrote:
>>>>> In other words, you would prefer to have non-free drivers to remain in
>>>>> the
>>>>> "core" tree because otherwise some hardware may not work? (Did i
>>>>> understand
>>>>> you correctly?)
>>>> If we're going to have core and non-free to begin with, then non-free
>>>> stuff
>>>> shouldn't be in core.  That being said, it isn't the problem here.  The
>>>> problem is that non-free isn't as available as core.  It should be, based
>>>> on
>>>> prompting the user during install.  Those who want a totally free system
>>>> that lacks non-free functionality just have to say no.
>>>>
>>>> If it makes a philosophical difference, then have no default and require
>>>> the
>>>> user to explicitly answer yes or no, and get treated accordingly.
>>>>  Putting
>>>> non-free stuff in core is an attempted solution to the problem that
>>>> enabling
>>>> and using non-free in an installed core-only system is much more
>>>> complicated
>>>> than it ought to be.  By the time a user boots his installed system,
>>>> non-free stuff should already be there if he wants it there.
>>> By the time a user boots his installed system he either has the online
>>> repositories already set (after install from liveCD) or is just a
>>> mouse click away from setting them. When the online repos are set the
>>> non-free repo is available if the user wants to have it.
>>>
>> What about if I don't have internet access ?
> 
> Then he should use the liveCD. As has been in Mandriva.
> 
>> If it is just a matter of asking to user whether or not he wants to install
>> non free firmware, then just go! But if the user with no internet access is
>> stuck because of firmware absence, then that's just stupid!
> 
> This has been the same in Mandriva times:
>  - an installation DVD as Free Edition without non-free stuff
>  - installable LiveCDs including non-free drivers.

Are we talking about non-free _drivers_ or _firmware_ ?

Mandriva free DVD didn't contain non-free _drivers_, but _did_ contain 
non free _firmwares_.
I am quite sure of this because we are able to run Edgeport serial 
devices which needs non free firmware (io_ti driver) with Mandriva free DVD.

If you remove the non-free firmware, then such kind of material won't 
work anymore.

Absence of non-free drivers generally don't prevent system from running 
(eg for graphic card, you can still use Vesa driver). But Absence of 
firmware will prevent hardware from running ...


Xavier