* Michael Poole <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [041026 19:51]: > > The driver contains code to interact with the firmware in operating the > > hardware device, just as the program contains code to interact with the > > library in performing its function. The driver does not contain all the > > code needed to manage the device; it contains code that can interact > > with the firmware. This particular driver interacts exclusively with > > the firmware, not the device (except for handing the firmware to the > > device). The driver is no more complete without the firmware than the > > program without the library. > > Exactly how does the driver interact with the firmware, except as an > opaque blob when sending the firmware to the device?
And how does a program interact with an library, exacpt as an opaque filename given to glibc via dlopen? (What, I am calling things from dlsym, what has this to do with the library? it only does not work when the library is not there...) But even this is irrelevant. If the driver cannot operate the device without having to get some data form somewhere else, then it clearly depends on this data in every sense of the word. If this data is not includeable, then PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do not promise people what is wrong, namely that the software has no external dependencies. (Hint: Placing things in main promises so; as we clearly have contrib and non-free to help those of our users that are forced by evil companpanies/beeings/desires to use non-free stuff[1].) MfG, Bernhard R. Link 1: and before anyone starts discussing about freeness: Do you have the source and all perimissions to do with it what we require for the word "free" in this context?