> 2008/6/2 Raj Mathur <raju <at> linux-delhi.org>: > > Some people (including me) are neutral to code that doesn't run on their > > primary processor. For instance, I'd complain if you gave me a > > non-free driver for my WiFi card, but I wouldn't if you gave me a free > > driver that downloads a binary blob to the card itself. The blob isn't > > running on my CPU, so I'm less antagonistic to it being non-free. > >
Praveen A <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > But, doesn't you own both the CPUs? It is like saying you cannot break > my leg, but it is OK to break my finger. I think the problem here is that historically a lot of these blobs were running off the cpu as: 1. hardware 2. firmware and didn't come wrapped up in the kernel. When the move was made to making the off-cpu stuff cheaper by doing the stuff in payload code carried (but not executed) by the kernel, the manufacturer lost sight of the fact that while the function remained the same, GPL distribution conditions applied. I don't see it as a failing of GPL v2 for such special cases, and there is a violation - it's just not truly evil in intention. > Also the owner still keeps the right to modify the code where as the > user is left in the dark, isn't that the whole of the issue? Where is > runs is just a matter of technical design. > > When the owner of the code has the ability to control code and the > user is left at mercy of the owner the issue of Freedom comes. The intention was not to get around GPL, which is what I understand Raj to mean when he says he is less antagnostic. Talking about breaking fingers and legs, in that analogy, for this less evil case it is an accident - it is not on purpose - that your finger/leg was broken. Though, yeah, it's still been broken (fingers/legs/GPL), and ideally the source should be available. PJ _______________________________________________ ilugd mailinglist -- ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org http://frodo.hserus.net/mailman/listinfo/ilugd Next Event: http://freed.in - February 22-24, 2008 Archives at: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.user-groups.linux.delhi http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd@lists.linux-delhi.org/
