Hi Jeff,
On Tue, Jan 16, 2024 at 10:25:40PM +0000, Jeff Jennings wrote:
> Please find a way to restore the integrity of open-source software
> distribution.
Firmware updates are required for almost every general purpose
computing device in existence and at this time those are non-free.
You have no choice about using them whether you use Debian or not,
because your computer hardware will come pre-installed with several
bits of non-free firmware, such as the CPU microcode and the entire
Minix-based OS that runs inside every Intel and AMD CPU. By refusing
to download newer firmwares you will not actually make your computer
usage any more ideologically pure, you will only make it less
reliable and secure.
Most Linux distributions provide firmware updates as a matter of
course, without really telling the user the difference between these
non-free software and the proper free software they also
distribute. Debian is different in that it tells you. In Debian, the
decision to enable non-free for firmware was a long and contentious
one, but it was done in the open. It's important to understand what
is going on before calling for its abolition.
https://wiki.debian.org/Firmware
If you somehow do have a device that doesn't require any non-free
firmware whatsoever, it's also easy to disable these repositories.
But this would be an unusual device in this day and age.
Thanks,
Andy
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