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Idea #8337: Progressively eliminate binary blobs

Written by Eldmannen the 10 May 08 at 17:37. Category: Others. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
Binary blobs provide us with short-term convenience.
However, in the long run they are bad.

We should strive to progressively eliminate binary blobs. One blob at a time.
The inclusion of binary blobs are sending the wrong signals. It is not something we should encourage.

If the amount of binary blobs grow then I think that is very dangerous.

* Blobs cannot be supported by developers.
* Blobs cannot be fixed by developers.
* Blobs cannot be improved.
* Blobs cannot be audited
* Blobs are specific to an architecture, thus less portable.
* Blobs are quite often massively bloated.

Blobs can contain malicious code and backdoors and you may never know. You cant trust them.

Inclusion of blobs are sacrificing our values.

It is giving up essential freedom to purchase a little temporary convenience.
Pleasant in the short-term but bad in the long term.

http://www.openbsd.org/lyrics.html#39
Tags: blob blobs

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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #8337
Written by Eldmannen the 10 May 08 at 17:37.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #8337 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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edm1 wrote on the 10 May 08 at 18:19
And what shall we use instead? Binary blobs aren't included just for the fun of it. Is this another idea to FORCE vendors to supply open source drivers?

Eldmannen wrote on the 10 May 08 at 18:26
We should somehow replace them one at a time.
Code our own if we have to.

Refuse blobs unless for stuff unless we really need them badly.

Be better at informing vendors to supply either open source device drivers or specifications.

Leverage some pressure to vendors. Possibly through partners, alliances, working groups and foundations.

Lobby for laws that mandate open specifications, etc.

Join associations, consortium, organizations, trade groups, etc and make proposals and leverage pressure.

steve196 wrote on the 10 May 08 at 20:12
Keep Ben Franklin out of this. The freedom he spoke about has really nothing to do with the closed source vs open source debate.

Blobs are a necessary nuisance.
Alternatives are:
* Reverse engineering hardware (time intensive and boring)
* not being able to use some hardware (users will go back to windows, because it would actually make them feel like Ubuntu were a sysem, that restricted them)
* "Pressuring" companies to release open source drivers (That is what we can talk about with 30+% market share, not earlier. For now the fear of patent litigation weighs heavier).

Regardless, blobs are becoming fewer anyway. One of the most common, the fglrx driver, will be gone soon and others slowly follow.

Eldmannen wrote on the 10 May 08 at 23:20
Oh, I am glad that blobs are becoming fewer not more.
That is good news.
Hopefully, soon we will be able to do without them.

Linux is no small pup. Linux Foundation have Fujitsu, HP, Hitatchi, Dell, IBM, Sun, Google, NEC, Novell, AMD, Motorola, Oracle, Nokia, Toshiba, etc. Perhaps we could leverage some pressure.


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