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On 02/11/06 21:23:25, Ben Goodger wrote:
On 02/11/06, Rob Beard <rob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:Ben Goodger wrote: > Remember, the binary blobs are out to get you. > So these binary blobs are non-free bits of code? Like modules for certain hardware etc?They're the non-source-code-published bits of code, such as NVidia's graphics driver. They're coming to kill Stallman's first-born.
It's a very real problem at a technical level, not just the philosophical - which is bad enough.
If you have a problem with a kernel, the kernel developers are able to help out. If you've got a binary (non-source / non-free) module loaded, then the developers are unable to detect whether the error is in the open source / free software portions of the kernel or caused by some mysterious bug in the closed-source module. In most cases, bug fixing is limited to waiting until someone reports the same bug *without* the binary module installed.
This is why it is so important to *file bugs* - you may be inadvertently providing the one element that is useful in moving the bug fix onto the next stage.
Be as expansive and detailed as you can, try to file bugs against the real culprit, not the first application you can name. Bugs can be reassigned but if you get it right first time it makes everything easier. File bugs from within your own distribution in the first instance. Only take bug reports upstream if you know that the bug is reproducible on a distribution from another "family". e.g. a bug in RHEL and Fedora may be an RPM packaging bug; a bug in Debian and Ubuntu may be a .deb packaging bug. A bug in Fedora and Debian is an upstream bug.
Free software has nothing to hide - document your bugs! -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
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