Re: Auditing free and non-free packages

On Sun, Apr 08, 2007 at 03:40:31PM -0400, Andrew J. Barr wrote:
Andrew M.A. Cater wrote:
On Sun, Apr 08, 2007 at 07:44:13PM +0100, andy wrote:
Hello

I have, since installing Etch, been downloading packages with regard for
functionality and because I wanted that program, rather than focusing on
whether or not that package was non-free or free (with respect to the
Debian commitment to free software).

I am curious about the packages I currently have installed that aren't
free (I know about the w32codecs and the flashplayer-plugin, for
example). Is there a way of auditing this?


I would also point out that the Debian definition of free software isn't
necessarily authoritative. You are welcome to disagree and use a package
without any moral qualms (if you believe that using free software is
moral). For example, I do not agree with the exclusion of things like
fonts, firmware, and some other program data from main -- but the beauty
of Debian is that these things are still available to us even though the
project feels they aren't free. For example, the non-free Broadcom
wireless firmware was a few clicks away for me by simply installing the
bcm43xx-fwcutter package from contrib. Voila--instant wireless on my
PowerBook. Not 30 seconds after installing that package, my home
wireless network showed up in the NetworkManager icon. You don't even
have to search Google for the Windows driver. Now if they could only
figure out some way to do something similar for the Intel Centrino radios...

Andrew

It's been done - but you have to go to the SourceForge site to get the
firmware - which requires you to sign an Intel licence agreement - and then
put this in /lib/firmware or some such: firmware version may be
dependent on kernel/tools version. Then the equivalent Intel drivers
also work - I've a Thinkpad next door using ipw2200 drivers very nicely
thanks. The latest ipw3945 drivers are even more free, as I understand
it, and firmware may be more freely distributable IIRC.

Andy




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