Re: why NetBSD include binary/blob driver or firmware by default?

[christos%astron.com@localhost (Christos Zoulas)]

In article <497A3607.1020106%eticaret.com.tr@localhost>,
Cem Kayali  <cemkayali%eticaret.com.tr@localhost> wrote:

>Could you please advise me, why NetBSD should include those drivers in 
>src source code or in default installation and why not make an OS with 
>100% visible codes? Is it really hard to push them to pkgsrc tree and 
>add assign  acceptable_license?

It makes it difficult to install NetBSD on machines with this kind
of hardware when the only way to the network is the through this
particular hardware. If you want the vendor who produced the card to
release the source code for the firmware, ask him, or if he fails
to do so, don't buy anymore cards from him. At NetBSD we always prefer
to not include binary blobs in our drivers, but in some cases we
don't get a choice. It is either that or not support the hardware.
We choose to support the hardware.

>In this case, 'sysutils/wpi-firmware2' which is binary firmware, would 
>be a good sample if it ask user's permission (acceptable_license) to 
>install the blob - It installs immediately now.

The wpi license is for the distributor not the end user. The end
user does not have to agree to anything to use the firmware. This
is different than the iwi case, where the user has to consent using
the firmware.

christos