2008/6/18 Andrew Haley <aph(a)redhat.com>:
So, let me summarize: we have a bit of binary-only fimware that does
goodness knows what in a critical part of our systems. We don't actually
need this firmware; it may or may not improve performance. Is this right?
This sounds like most computer systems (BIOS, although we can usually
do without it mostly after boot time) and their components e.g. most
modern network interfaces, SCSI controllers and so on, lots of which
have some sort of firmware embedded in some way on the card or the
main device on it. The next point you make is a good one, ...
It sounds to me as though we're better off without it, regardless
of its
status with regard to the GPL.
Yes. Which is why we should stop supporting these "PCs" which aren't
completely free.
Andrew.