Re: non-free firmware in kernel modules, aggregation and unclear copyright notice.

Arjan van de Ven
2005-04-05T19:48:10Z

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> * The firmware distribution infrastructure is basically non-existent.
> There is no standard way to make sure that a firmware separated from the
> driver gets to all users.
>
> * The firmware bundling infrastructure is basically non-existent.
> (Arjan talked about this) There needs to be a a way to ensure that the
> needed firmwares are automatically added to initramfs/initrd.
>
> * There is no chicken-and-egg problem as Arjan mentions.

actually there is; you just perfectly described it. Until we have
drivers that can use such firmware (and need it in initrds and the like)
infrastructure for that is unlikely to come into existence, and until
there is such infrastructure, driver authors like you are unlikely to
want to transition to loading firmware. Now there is also your other
point about the request_firmware() interface being too primitive, and
that sure sounds valid. So to move forward two things need to happen

1) the infrastructure needs expanding to be useful for more drivers

2) the chicken and egg stalemate needs breaking. One way to do that is
to have dual-mode drivers for a while (eg drivers that request_firmware
() and if that fails, use the built-in firmware) so that the other
outside-the-kernel infrastructure can be developed and deployed.

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