[Fsf-friends] Non-free device drivers in Ubuntu GNU/Linux

[Ramanraj K]

  Vivek Vaghese Cherian wrote:

>On the URL http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ubuntu/licensing/document_view
>and under the section The purpose of the "restricted" component they say
>
>The Ubuntu team recognizes that many users have vital hardware in
>their computer that requires drivers that are currently only available
>in binary format. We urge all hardware vendors to insist that their
>suppliers provide open source drivers for their components, but we
>recognise that in some cases binary drivers are the only way to make
>your hardware work. As a result, Ubuntu includes several of these
>drivers on the CD and in the repository, clearly separated from the
>rest of the software by being placed in the restricted component.
>
>Binary drivers are a poor choice, if you have a choice. Without source
>code, Ubuntu cannot support this software, we only provide it for
>users who require it to be able to run the Free Software we provide in
>main. Also, we cannot make binary drivers available on other
>architectures (such as the Mac or IPAQ) if we don't have the ability
>to port the software source code ourselves. If your hardware is fully
>supported with open source drivers you can simply remove the
>restricted component, and we would encourage you to do so.
>
>If closed source code drivers are a bad choice after all, why include
>them in the first place ?
>
>The reason they provide that closed source drivers are required to be
>able to run "Free Software" they provide in the main is as lame an
>excuse as one can get.
>
 So far the drivers and other things alleged to be "non-free" because 
they don't come with source code, please write the source code and send 
it to them as they request.  Before the linux kernel was written, GNU 
Project tools certainly required a proprietary operating system for use, 
and was basically serving non-free software, though working towards a 
totally free system, and this task of making free device drivers looks 
like another mere extension or dimension of that.  I am told that the 
single great difficulty in this regard is that the hardware 
manufacturers do not disclose technical details, such as registers, 
 which makes the task of  writing free device drivers  difficult. If you 
have purchased any such hardware that did not disclose sufficient 
information about its registers that force you to waste time on "reverse 
engineering", please think of asking them to disclose details or even 
think of complaining to the appropriate authorities against this 
unethical practice in exercise of your rights as a consumer.  Many 
consumers are lame in exercising their rights, and there is little point 
in blaming developers for not supporting them.