Ubuntu tainting the kernel with proprietary drivers ?

[Daniel Robitaille]

On 6/10/06, Fabian Rodriguez <mailinglists at fabianrodriguez.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Hubert Figuiere (hub) passed this to me on #ubuntu-qc (or was it #facil,
> I don't remember):
> http://fasmz.org/~pterjan/blog/?date=20060609#p01
>
> I posted in a few IRC channels withouth much information, and don't know
> how to handle it, but I see it as part of some trolls and rumour
> spreading posts that we may encounter more and more as Ubuntu becomes
> more popular. I can respond to most criticism but would like help on
> this one.
>
> I particularly don't like the subjective insinuations:
> "What is shocking me is not that Ubuntu is a non-free distribution,
> forcing all of its users to install non-free software. What is shocking
> me is that almost nobody knows it and a lot of people install or offer
> Ubuntu thinking it is free software ! I wonder how did Ubuntu people
> manage to keep that so confidential, I don't even find this information
> in the numerous Ubuntu vs Debian trolls...
>
> *Update :* I have read more on Ubuntu website and found a page
> <http://help.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/desktopguide/C/about-ubuntu.html> stating
> /Ubuntu is an entirely open source operating system built around the
> Linux kernel/ which is false as drdsl is binary only app, and some other
> page where things are written more carrefully. The page about licencing
> <http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/licensing> tell /All of the application
> software installed by default is Free Software./ which is true if they
> consider firmware as data and not as software (even if I think it is).
> Regarding the data (they list firmware in it), they say /The Ubuntu
> community will make decisions on the inclusion of these works on a
> case-by-case basis, ensuring that these works do not restrict our
> ability to make Ubuntu available free of charge, and that Ubuntu remains
> redistributable by you/ so nothing about freedom..."
>
> Thanks for any hints on how to address this. Feel free to pass it to
> other more appropriate list(s) @ ubuntu.

it's not really real big secret, and it has came up few times
previously on various mailing lists (including  sounder and
ubuntu-devel in the thread in which Mark Shuttleworth talked about a
possible all-free gnubuntu last November)

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2005-November/013261.html
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/sounder/2005-November/003049.html

>From the ubuntu web site:
  http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/components

"The restricted component is reserved for software that is very
commonly used, and which is supported by the Ubuntu team even though
it is not available under a completely free licence [...]   Some
software from restricted will be installed on Ubuntu CDs but is
clearly separated to ensure that it is easy to remove. We include this
software because it is essential in order for Ubuntu to run on certain
machines - typical examples are the binary drivers that some video
card vendors publish, which are the only way for Ubuntu to run on
those machines."

In practice, I always remove the restricted repository on both my
computers (and the packages installed from it)  since I don't need it
for my specific hardware I use, makes my computers more free, and
makes for faster upgrades of the kernel when tracking the
developmental ubuntu version. (the later is the main reason)


-- 
Daniel Robitaille