Ubuntu is not free.

[meets at free.fr]

Hello,
A man reported the fact in a french mailing list : some proprietary
firmwares are inclueded in the kernel package.

We users _want Ubuntu to stay free_, and we don't need non free
firmwares pollution in the default kernel packages. It's quite easy to
install afterwards when needed.

Readings in english and in french :
*In english :
http://fasmz.org/~pterjan/blog/?date=20060609

"Ubuntu image and reality regarding freedom"

*In french :
http://matixco.org/marchives/bourguinux/2006-July/001314.html

"Savoir qu'il n'est pas "facile" d'installer un logiciel proprio ne
m'intéresse pas. Ce qui m'intéresse c'est d'être informé. Ainsi, si
j'en ai envi, je peux installer, par exemple, le driver ipw2100-fw, je
fais : pacman -S ipw2100-fw Par contre, un message me prévient que le
driver n'est pas libre. Loin des méthodes d'ubuntu ;)"

_Translation_ : 
knowing that it's not easy to install a proprietary
software does not interest me. What interest me is to get the
information. So, if I wish, I can install, for example, the ipw2100-fw
driver, I invoke pacman -S ipw2100-fw. On the other hand, a message
warns me that the driver is not free. Far from the Ubuntu methods ;)".

He is a free software actor in his region, I know him and met
personally. And I know is most interested that all Linux distributions
stay clean.

This other man on the list answers :
http://matixco.org/marchives/bourguinux/2006-July/001315.html

"Le driver des ipw est libre. Ce qui ne l'est pas c'est le firmware qui
n'a à mon avis _rien_ à faire dans une distribution qui se veut libre.
D'ailleurs, si on télécharge un kernel sur ftp.kernel.org, on trouve
par exemple les drivers (libres) pour des cartes wifi basées sur des
Prism mais les firmwares (propriétaires) pour ces cartes n'y sont
pas..."

_Translation_ :
The ipw driver is free, what is not is the firmware, which in my
opinion has nothing to do in a distribution that wants to be free.
You can also see that if we download a kernel on ftp.kernel.org, we
find the (free) drivers pour wifi cards based on Prism but the
(proprietary) firmwares for theses cards aren't there..."

Best greetings, Joyce Markoll.

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-users/attachments/20060708/ae3cecb4/attachment.sig>