[PLUG] Firmware, tainted code etc [was Re: [X-Post] [ilugd] linux-libre kernel. fork?]

[BVK]

On Thu, May 29, 2008 at 2:27 PM, ഓം <guru.is.on.vi at gmail.com> wrote:
> 2008/5/29 Praveen A <pravi.a at gmail.com>:
>> 2008/5/28 श्रीधर नारायण दैठणकर <ghodechhap at ghodechhap.net>:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> This topic has numerous aspects e.g. an open firmware allows to boost powers
>>> of wireless signals which violates FCC mandates and can cause problems. Other
>>> than burrying it in binary blob(worse than a hex dump), there is no other
>>> effective measure.
>>
>> There are vendors who provide completely Free drivers for their
>> wireless chips, so this point is moot. See
>> http://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/net/wireless/cards.html for a list of
>> cards that has completely Free drivers.
>>>
>>> More importantly, tainted kernels are illegal and that is an accepted fact.
>>> Just that kernel developers don't go after every tainted kernel, does not
>>> make them any less legal.
>>
>> As Rahul already explained, it is illegal to distribute them, but
>> there is no restriction on you to taint or even burn the kernel as
>> long as you don't distribute it. You don't even have to agree to GPL
>> if you are never going to distribute your copy to someone else - do
>> whatever you want with your kernel (Freedom 0). GPL only puts
>> conditions on distribution (modified or otherwise).
>>
>
> That's like indirectly saying Linux Kernel is not bound by any license!!

What statement of the above paragraph really meant that?

>
> Thank you for clarifying about the myth!  :-)
>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm


-- 
bvk-chaitanya