Subject: Re: binary-only code is evil
To: NetBSD-current Users's Discussion List <current-users@netbsd.org>
From: Mark Weinem <mark.weinem@onlinehome.de>
List: current-users
Date: 10/01/2006 03:01:13
Chapman Flack:
> How would you approach, for example, the Atheros HAL?
Just using or developing open-source solutions - from OpenBSD's ath(4) man
page:
"[...]
HISTORY
The ath device driver first appeared in FreeBSD 5.2 using a binary-only
HAL module which was ported to NetBSD 2.0. The driver using a free
HAL-replacement first appeared in OpenBSD 3.7.
AUTHORS
The ath driver was written by Sam Leffler, and was ported to OpenBSD by
Reyk Floeter <reyk@openbsd.org> who also wrote a free replacement of the
binary-only HAL. [...]"
> How do we find a balance?
As "we" don't need blobs, there's no need to find a balance. Let's
concentrate on making things possible with open-source software - and
forget about the rest!
Ciao, Mark Weinem