[Bug 1738272] Re: microcode packages, like firmware packages, should be in main

[Andy Whitcroft]

/me concurs, the contents of intel-microcode is very analogous to that
of linux-firmware, wherein the contents are freely redistributable but
may not actually come in source form.  It seems entirely reasonable to
treat intel-microcode and linux-firmware in a similar manner including
component.  iucode-tool would follow naturally.

This should also be put on the list of packages which should routinely
be kept in sync in -security as -updates.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1738272

Title:
  microcode packages, like firmware packages, should be in main

Status in intel-microcode package in Ubuntu:
  New
Status in iucode-tool package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  The MIR for intel-microcode and iucode-tool in LP: #1388889 requested
  that these packages be shipped in restricted.

  The iucode-tool package is free software, and is shipped in restricted
  only because of the circular recommends with intel-microcode.

  The intel-microcode package contains non-free software (free
  redistribution, but no source code).  However, this code is not part
  of the OS; it runs /under/ the OS on the CPU, and is analogous to
  linux-firmware, which we do include in main.

  The question of suitability for restricted vs. main in Ubuntu was not
  examined as part of the previous MIR, and the security team signed off
  on it for "restricted or main as appropriate"; so I think the decision
  to put it in restricted was not based on a thorough examination of the
  facts by an archive admin, and does not represent a precedent that
  needs to be examined further.

  I believe that these two packages should be promoted to main for
  consistency.

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