On Mon, 2009-03-23 at 18:26 -0700, Rick Jones wrote:
quoted text
> Michael Chan wrote:
> > On Mon, 2009-03-23 at 17:14 -0700, Rick Jones wrote:
> >=20
> >>Michael Chan wrote:
> >>
> >>>May be I'll break up each firmware section into a
> >>>different file and the file name will be updated with each version.
> >>>This will allow different sections to be updated separately and older
> >>>kernels will still have access to the older firmware.
> >>
> >>Is that really necessary?  It is enough "fun" finding just the one firm=
ware file=20
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> >>as it is.
> >=20
> >=20
> > If all the firmware sections are in the same file, much of the firmware
> > file will be duplicated in a new file when we update just one section.
>=20
> So?  Perhaps I'm just experiencing distro pain which may not continue to =
exist or=20
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> which may not matter to netdev, but when one is installing to a system th=
at uses=20
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> a core NIC which has firmware cast-out into "non-free" siberia, life is "=
fun"=20
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> enough making sure one has the one firmware file let alone N of them.
[...]

If you're referring to Debian, that is exactly what Bastian and I are
working on.  Sourceless firmware is considered non-free, but it can
still be packaged, as the bnx2 firmware already has been.  We've also
had some discussions with David Woodhouse about semi-automatically
packaging all of the firmware that's now in the firmware subdirectory
and is clearly licensed.

Ben.