This is kind of weird. >disabled non-Free firmware-loading machinery
While there isn't a free version of the firmware right now I wouldn't think you would want to disable the loading of firmware. It isn't (I'm assuming) disabling the loading of only non-free firmware. Rather it is disabling the loading of ANY firmware. At least I'd imagine that is how this is implemented. Sort of pointless too given the distribution isn't including the non-free firmware so it won't load anyway.
This isn't to say it was wrong to disable this loading bit. I completely understand why it was done. Some people will go to extraordinary lengths and not understand what it is they are doing to get things working. Quite honestly this is probably most people with a device that doesn't work.
