Re: [LUG] Single-board computers and software freedom

On 24 May 2013 16:25, Matt Lee <mattl@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

Right, I'm talking about a chip that you cannot flash. Whatever is on
that chip, it doesn't matter -- the chip? That's hardware.

Yep, the chip would be hardware. My point, though, was that it *seems* that RMS/FSF are quite OK with chips having code on them that ordinarily wouldn't be modifiable... but the moment the code becomes something that has to be loaded onto said chip (ie "uploadable firmware"), then it becomes a problem.

Let's take, for example, WiFi cards. If the card has a chip on it that has code "burned" into it allowing only the most restrictive WiFi channels and signal strengths to be used, so it can work universally without breaking any country's laws, but the card does NOT need this code to be loaded onto it - it comes with the code already there - then this is OK. Apparently it is "hardware". The moment a WiFi card needs the code to be "uploaded" to it then it is no longer classed as pure hardware and so if said code is not Free Software, it is a baaad thing.

How that distinction make sense in anyone's mind is completely beyond me.

(Incidentally, I'm not arguing that non-Free firmware is allowable, I'm arguing that - to my mind - they're operating with double standards.)

Grant.