A few years ago, I needed the nvidia binary blob on a dynebolic pc so I could use it to VJ with. I needed the tv-out to work properly as a secondary output.

So, I set to work creating a module, and, eventually after a bit of hacking around I got a .dyne module that loaded the nvidia binary blob at runtime.

It worked, I had tv out, and I could use the Vj software on dyne that I wanted to use to perform with.

What I would like to see in the latest incarnation of dyne is very very clear documentation on how to setup third party modules, and some platform for users to share these somehow.

I agree with the aspiration for open source and open drivers, but I don't think that ethic should curtail people from working with closed stuff when it's the only means of making their hardware work.

In regards to a wireless driver, I don't think it's fair to downplay that as a luxury that the user should just suck it up and use a cable when they can't get open drivers. For example, what if someone's sole means of accessing the net is in cafe's with free wireless? It may not be practical or reasonable to turn up to the cafe with a 10m ethernet cable and say "plug this in please!" !

Dave // bridd

On 30 Sep 2011, at 18:23, El Evans <3l3vans@???> wrote:

> My two cents ---
> Free isn't free unless it's free.
>
> On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 10:46 AM, Lukasz Jastrzebski <
> luke.jastrzebski@???> wrote:
>
>> Guys that made free kernel put a lot of effort for you to *not* have
>> the drivers, you know...
>> It's probably different with each case, Ralink firmware IIRC was a
>> separate package, dunno if it was coupled with free or non-free kernel
>> module.
>> But I'm still wondering what the devs would say ;)
>>
>> 2011/9/30 PaK Zer0 <dmusta1ne.pak@???>:
>>> That's what we are begging for: a solution to that problem.
>>>
>>> Maybe a workaround would be a "patch" for D:B for old/not-free
>>> hardware, so you always can choose instead of have this problem or not
>>> being free about this choice.
>>>
>>> 2011/9/30 Lukasz Jastrzebski <luke.jastrzebski@???>:
>>>> Hi!
>>>>
>>>> My conclusions are quite different, but first, define what is the old
>>>> hardware, what does it mean?
>>>> I'd say 10 years old hardware is a rare example of good manufacturing,
>>>> and I quite frankly have problems to, for example, upgrade hardware
>>>> with much newer components than this - and with few exceptions we're
>>>> talking about second market here.
>>>> I usually buy 4-6 years old hardware from what used to be the top
>>>> shelf. I use them on a daily basis, they do what I want (for 10% of
>>>> the price I should pay for a new one). But let's say that 10 years is
>>>> giveaway level - no matter if this is a PC, laptop or whatever else -
>>>> I assume it has USB, PCI, PCIMCIA if mobile, and around 256 MB of ram
>>>> (even though half of it was kind of normal back then), 800MHz clock,
>>>> leaving plenty of opportunities to upgrade it... I think that D:B will
>>>> work on that.
>>>> If it's worse - taking different distro, dedicated for old stuff
>>>> should do the trick.
>>>>
>>>> And yes, no wi-fi from D:B works in my place as well, and the problem
>>>> is the same as yours - lack of free drivers. I usually depend on
>>>> wireless connectivity. The answer is as simple, as taking the cable
>>>> and making it work. Wifi is just for ease of wandering around my
>>>> house...
>>>>
>>>> Having binary blobs, or some not-so-free components inside Linux is
>>>> not that good, but oh, come on guys! There always is a solution!
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>> Ł
>>>>
>>>> 2011/9/30 sayhi2guy@??? <sayhi2guy@???>:
>>>>> Hi
>>>>>
>>>>> Just a few thought son what I see as a conflict of goals in D:B's
>>>>> philosophy. On one hand d:b is committed to totally free software, but
>>>>> D:B is also trying to be an OS to recycle old equipment (as in the
>>>>> famous $0 laptop).
>>>>>
>>>>> People who depend on other peoples old unwanted
>>>>> hardware cannot always choose what they want, especially whether the
>>>>> hardware has free drivers. There is an English saying that 'beggars
>>>>> cannot be choosers.' As an example, both my computers are donated 'cast
>>>>> offs' and the usb wireless on one needs the ralink firmware that D:B
>>>>> does not include; I cannot just afford to go out and buy something else
>>>>> so I cannot use that PC with D:B.
>>>>>
>>>>> The goal of encouraging someone to
>>>>> only use hardware with free drivers is good, but not always practical:
>>>>> The irony is that this hinders the people who need the free software
>>>>> the most.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best wishes
>>>>> Guy
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> dynebolic@???
>>>>> http://lists.dyne.org/mailman/listinfo/dynebolic
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> DMusta1ne / PaK-Zer0
>>> http://pak-0.bandcamp.com
>>>
>>> Could you put a price on peace?
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
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