Alessandro Selli <alessandroselli@???> wrote:

>> OK fine, just have this yes or no question early in the install:
>>
>> =============================================================
>> Are you willing to have the install try non-free drivers and firmware
>> for your network, video, keyboard and mouse if free drivers and
>> firmware aren't available or don't work? (Y/N):
>> =============================================================
>>
>> You'll say no, and the first attempt so will I. But if it doesn't work
>> with free-only, I'll try yes. Different strokes. You'll never get
>> nonfree software, and I'll have maximal chance of getting an
>> installation running.
>
> This would require having some separate, independent third party set up a
> non-free Devuan repository in order to protect the main Devuan one from any
> liability that might incur from distributing material that is encumbered by
> patents, non-free distribution license clauses, DMCA-infringment claims and so
> forth. Something like repoforge or deb-multimedia.


That's a non sequitur
The ONLY, and I mean ONLY bit that's relevant is the one about licence terms - and that's *relatively* easy to deal with one way or another as the licence terms are there to be read (either there are terms that allow you to redistribute or there aren't).
Claims for patent infringement, DMCA infringement, and so forth can be (and have been) thrown at completely open and free software.



Renaud (Ron) OLGIATI <renaud@???> wrote:

> Ready to bet the open-source talibans will find all kinds of excuses not to do this.
>
> They clam to be for freedom of choice, but some are as bad as the systemd people


That's not a valid or fair comparison.

The systemd way is to actively make it hard to do things other than the way they want you to do it. While some of the most hardcore free software folk will express disapproval of, and refuse to help with, distributing and using non-free drivers etc - I've yet to see any evidence of any of them *actively* making it hard for someone to download and use them.