[ltp] Re: mwavem-2.0 released

[Thomas Hood]

> The DSP binaries are in fact not GPL, but they are distributable..

That's what I suspected.


> I don't remember the legal/license details exactly..  So I'm working
> on getting an "official" statement to clear things up...

Thanks for going to this trouble.

Binary-only peripheral software has recently become a topic of intense
discussion on the debian-devel mailing list.  The specific kind of
software that participants have been talking about is so-called
"downloadable firmware" or "binary blobs" in drivers: arrays of data
that the drivers load into peripherals to make them do what they are
supposed to do.  These blobs, being included in files that ship with
Linux, are nominally licensed under the GPL but since they are really
binaries distributed without source their legal status is questionable.
Those blobs that were ripped from proprietary drivers may or may not
be distributable at all.  Those that were furnished by Linux-friendly
companies nominally under the GPL are in limbo, since the GPL allows
distribution only along with source.  Also, the work consisting of Linux
plus blobs would appear to violate the GPL on Linux.

Obviously the safest thing to do is to remove the peripheral software
from the drivers, to store it in files and to upload it to the device
via the driver from userspace.  This effects a clear separation between
Linux (GPL) and the peripheral software and makes Linux distributable
again.  The peripheral software has to be dealt with on a case-by-case
basis.  All of it is "non-free" by Debian's standards since it comes
without source.  Some of it will probably prove not to be distributable
at all; some will prove to be distributable in Debian's "non-free"
archive section and some will remain in limbo.

The Mwave DSP binaries are currently in limbo, so I am happy to hear
that clarification may be coming.

--
Thomas

=====
Linux on ThinkPad 600 page: http://panopticon.csustan.edu/thood/tp600lnx.htm


	
	
		
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