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   Matthew Garrett (mjg59@nondeterministic.computer)'s status on Tuesday, 03-Dec-2024 10:24:12 JST Matthew Garrett

   (1) yes, the world would be better if runtime loaded device firmware were free software
   (2) The FSF's position is that if that firmware is contained in ROM instead of being loaded by the OS there's no freedom issue

   • Rich Felker repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Matthew Garrett (mjg59@nondeterministic.computer)'s status on Tuesday, 03-Dec-2024 10:24:11 JST Matthew Garrett

     in reply to

     So yeah obviously my preference would be for the OpenWRT router to provide free software radio firmware but if they'd instead added some ROM it would classify as an FSF Respects Your Freedom device and that seems like a perverse outcome

   • Embed this notice
     翠星石 (suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com)'s status on Tuesday, 03-Dec-2024 22:30:41 JST 翠星石

     in reply to
     @mjg59 The FSF's position is that proprietary hardware can not have software freedom issues, as nobody can change it after all.
     
     Hardware that contains malicious circuits that implement things like digital handcuffs are a freedom issue even then.