* Lars Hansson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [2007-01-30 10:49:59]: > Travers Buda wrote: > > They're basically the same thing. > > No they're not. One run on the vendors hardware, the other run on your > OS. Two entirely different things. >
Sorry, I was being nebulous. They're the same thing in the regard that they're both binary, it's moot to write new firmware, difficult/impossible for 3rd parties to fix, and they're vulnerable to exploits. In regards to binary drivers like the one nvidia provides for the linux kernel, these are not necessarily moot to reverse and write your own drivers for. Hell, that sort of thing goes on all the time around here with the wifi devices. So what are you going to do about firmware? Nothing. It's a waste of time to worry about it, since it's impractical to fix and audit it yourself. Nor does it matter whether or not the firmware is loaded or if it's in ROM to begin with. As Nick and countless others have pointed out ad nauseum, the best option is just rights to freely distribute the firmware on these stripped-down devices. It's curious though that vendors distribute firmware on their devices without much fuss (which happens all the time-- your local compooter store; and not everyone signs the EULA) but when it comes to a 3rd party _distributing_ for a device without ROM it the vendors are "unsure" of the legal ramifications or what not. Lawyers. Sigh. -- Travers Buda
