On Wed, Jun 03, 2015 at 11:22:10PM -0400, Peter Olson wrote:

[cut]

>
> Although I rank among the purists, I could go along with this idea:
>
> Two ISO/repo configurations.
>
> One which is free.
>
> The other which works if the first doesn't.
>

Seconded. I myself am among the purists, and I need firmware-iwlwifi
for my wifi adapter (although not having wifi working at install-time
has usually not been that much of a burden, indeed).

Anyway, I would prefer to see the standard Devuan install proposing
only non-free software/firmware, and I might not object the provision
of an alternative ISO which allows to pull down *exclusively* the
firmware that is essential for the installation to continue
successfully.

But now that I am proposing this possibility, an easy question arises:
what is a "successful installation"? The meaning of "successful" might
vary a lot across users, and most of those same "end users" who would
find it difficult to get along during install without non-free
firmware could also label as "unsuccessful" a desktop installation in
which X runs with VESA instead of the "right" (nonfree) driver which
allows smooth 3D eyecandies to run.... What will we do then? Will we
open another thread to discuss whether closed-source video card
drivers should be proposed during install to avoid disappointing our
beloved "end users"?

Again, since it is very difficult to draw a line, I would prefer to
draw the easiest and most principled one, that is to say: propose
exclusively free software/firmware during installation.

My2Cents

KatolaZ

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[ Enzo Nicosia aka KatolaZ --- GLUG Catania -- Freaknet Medialab ]
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