1 Dec
2004
1 Dec
'04
6:50 p.m.
On Wed, 2004-01-12 at 00:09 +0100, Fons Adriaensen wrote:
On Tue, Nov 30, 2004 at 05:32:30PM -0500, Dave
Robillard wrote:
Philosophically speaking, I would prefer of course for the
firmware/hardware to be open.
However, speaking of practical matters, assuming the hardware works it
can be considered a black box and I don't have much of a problem with
it.
It is an undisputable FACT that having proprietary drivers in the Linux
kernel causes lots (and lots) of problems. Actual real-life problems,
not just problems of philosophical purity or whatever.
The firmware on a card (assuming it's actually on the card and not
uploaded by a driver) not being open doesn't present any real practical
problems as far as a 100% free software system goes.
So essentially, yes, I would use Y and Z - they don't taint my system on
the software level, they don't destroy the latency of my kernel and
artificially destroy my (or anyone's) ability to do anything about it.
That is the essential difference. My inability to hack the firmware
isn't going to affect me being able to use my computer however I please
(within reason). It isn't going to make the card unusable on a 100%
free software system (ie Debian). Ideal? no. Acceptable? yes, IMO.
There is a difference between caring about something and being an
irrational zealot. I am not an irrational zealot, I just actually care
about the future of GNU/Linux, and freedom of software and computers in
general. I hope you do too.
-DR-
I'd rather not have people with this ignorant
'closed drivers = good'
opinion turning Linux into yet another Windows. If you want a sh***y
proprietary OS, there's plenty to choose from already. Do the rest of
us a favour and don't advocate turning Linux into yet another one.
I will follow you reasoning up to a point.
Suppose we have a card X with a closed source driver. You will not
use it. Now we make a new card Y, which is actually an X with the
functionality of the driver pushed into the (closed source) firmware.
We make a third card Z with the same functionality pushed inside the
hardware.
Will you use Y ?
Will you use Z ?
If the answer to either is yes, what is the essential difference