Re: [gNewSense-users] Suitability of the Debian Squeeze (and later) Linux kernel for gNewSense. Was (no subject)

[Michael Dorrington]

Karl Goetz wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:42:41 -0300
> "Emiliano M. Rudenick" <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
>>> We don't have a free kernel in the archive yet, but you could
>>> easily install linux-libre of your own accord.
>>> thanks,
>>> kk
> 
>> The kernel that comes default in Debian Squeeze is completely free.
> 
> The kernel produced by linux-libre, and the kernel produced by debian
> differ. This doesn't inherantly mean debians kernel is meant to
> be non-free, but it does mean there is some confusion between the
> projects which will have to be worked out. If we can use debians kernel
> unaltered thats fantastic, but i'm still trying to find someone who
> knows kernels (not me) to compare them and tell us if thats ok.
> thanks,
> kk

AFAICT, the Debian kernel complies with the DFSG (or is extremely
close). However, it retains drivers that require a firmware in order to
be functional and where no free firmware currently exists for them. So
if you don't considered Debian to be a "Free GNU/Linux distribution"
then, I think, you won't considered the Debian kernel to be suitable for
gNewSense.

Regards,
Mike.

>> "Another first is the completely free Linux kernel, which no longer
>> contains problematic firmware files. These were split out into
>> separate packages and moved out of the Debian main archive into the
>> non-free area of our archive, which is not enabled by default. In
>> this way Debian users have the possibility of running a completely
>> free operating system, but may still choose to use non-free firmware
>> files if necessary."
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> _______________________________________________
> gNewSense-users mailing list
> address@hidden
> http://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnewsense-users

signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature