Re: [Gnewsense-dev] [bug #38001] Kernel metapackages (linux-latest-2.6) refer to missing Debian kernel versions

[Marek Buras]

Sam Geeraerts <address@hidden> writes:
> I believe you're talking about bug #37522?
>

Yes, that's it. I should start separate thread for that. I'll do with my
next message when I make more progress on the issue.

> The request_firmware call tells the user which (potentially non-free)
> firmware file Linux wants. That encourages users to go look for that
> file and install it. The "/* DEBLOBBED */" solution is far from ideal,
> but we assume that gNewSense users don't want to run non-free firmware
> anyway, so being explicit about it and making it hard is better than
> encouragement. The Linux-libre maintainer and Richard Stallman have
> discussed [1] how to improve firmware handling, but as far as I know
> those suggestions have not been implemented yet.
>
> [1]
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-linux-libre/2010-12/msg00033.html
>

Have to look at that thread, because I don't remember the details. You
are right about the request_firmware - that's what it does in the
patches I've looked at. Is modifying patched Debian sources for the
kernel good idea at all or should we use linux-libre-2.6.32 and then
apply some critical patches to it? I'm open to your suggestions - both
solutions I mentioned look like a lot of work, but I think I can go for
it in my free time. Have to look at deblob-2.6.32 too - I'll try this
evening.

Happy hacking!
-- 
Marek Buras
cyfr0n (at) go2.pl