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Robin Cornelius wrote: >> Perhaps because my solution involved the use of a proprietary >> firmware file it doesn't fulfil Neil's high standards Firmware is a little different to other software - remember that I write free software to interrogate the Palm handheld. This is a completely proprietary OS and yet tools exist to query it and even compile free software to run on it. I don't object to compiling free software to run on Cygwin etc. either (although I do have concerns about the level of support expected by such users when you consider that Cygwin is actually a port and the upstream developer has no way of testing on Cygwin). Where it is possible to use free software (iPAQ) for the device itself, using non-free software is to be avoided. Even where the device firmware is non-free, every effort should be supported to reverse engineer the protocol and inter-operate with the device and eventually replace the proprietary with free. That includes using the free alternative and helping to improve it. > I don't object to firmware myself , that is binary code that must be > uploaded to the external device and then executes on the external > device, yes it would be very nice if firmware was open source as > well but in many cases this is just not possible and the firmware > contains some of the IPR of the company. It would indeed be nice if firmware was free software and it is achievable (see Yopi). To me, it matters where the kernel resides. If the kernel can be replaced by a free kernel (iPAQ), firmware should be free. In smaller devices like the Palm, scanners etc., a firmware update is not a problem. It would just be nice to have a free software installation on the device itself. (As Palm are considering.) > Firmware is often used so that things can easily be adjusted after an > IC has been created, if the manufactures were sure of a design and > that it would not need to be upgraded in the future then they could > just create an IC with all the required functionality and no > firmware. The biggest problem with firmware is that it should be > distributed separately to the driver and supplied with its own > licence that permits redistribution. Exactly. > One other solution is to embed an eeprom in the device so that the > device carries its own firmware but can be flash upgraded if > required, this solves the firmware distribution problem. iPAQ. It can be a risky process flashing the eeprom - the iPAQ FAQ is full of dire warnings about turning your iPAQ into a paperweight. Thankfully, Compaq are quite enlightened and have supported the development of free software firmware for iPAQ's. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
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