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Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2022 21:21:50 +0200
Message-Id: <CNOFY00I1FSZ.294LCIZHOORKP@sumire>
Subject: Re: ipw2100 wifi card firmware
From: "alice" <alice@ayaya.dev>
To: "Riccardo Mottola" <riccardo.mottola@libero.it>, "Winston Weinert"
 <winston@ml1.net>, <~alpine/users@lists.alpinelinux.org>
References: <bdb05306-0f84-50d6-c71c-ff4b311d7ffb@libero.it>
 <005dc987-0461-9189-383e-d690b7686e96@ml1.net>
 <d03805ad-4f6e-ef23-db58-dde2bf32ae45@libero.it>
In-Reply-To: <d03805ad-4f6e-ef23-db58-dde2bf32ae45@libero.it>

On Mon Oct 17, 2022 at 9:07 PM CEST, Riccardo Mottola wrote:
> Hi Winston,
>
> I was unable to download the firmware directly from sourceforge.net, my
> browser(s) continue to fail the accept test!
> However, I did as you suggested: got the Debian package, "ar x" and then
> tar the data file... put the firmware in /lib/firmware... and yes, my
> ThinkPad connects to the wireless, the WiFi LED lights up.
>
> I wonder why Alpine cannot have such a package? I have seen other
> non-free firmware (how much I hate that... a reason why I skipped all
> those "libre" distributions: without binary blobs a laptop is almost
> useless nowadays).
alpine doesn't ship anything non-free, with really the only exception
being firmware under the "linux-firmware" project umbrella (and anything
overlooked, of course). that project (afaik) has the vendors adding
firmware to it by petitioning it directly, and it's more or less a
community consensus that it gets a pass since otherwise nothing is
really usable at all. that part is the distinction from "libre" distros
that ship nothing and let you use them on like 5 laptops (maybe a bit
harsh, but you know what i mean).

but as for everything else, it is all free software. no shortcuts there.

as for the ipw2x00 firmware, the licence isn't really much different than a
lot of things in linux-firmware:

ipw2100 firmware license For OEMs, IHVs, and ISVs:
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

LICENSE. This Software is licensed for use only in conjunction with
Intel component products. Use of the Software in conjunction with
non-Intel component products is not licensed hereunder. Subject to the
terms of this Agreement, Intel grants to you a nonexclusive,
nontransferable, worldwide, fully paid-up license under Intel's
copyrights to: (i) copy the Software internally for your own development
and maintenance purposes; (ii) copy and distribute the Software to your
end-users, but only under a license agreement with terms at least as
restrictive as those contained in Intel's Final, Single User License
Agreement, attached as Exhibit A; and (iii) modify, copy and distribute
the end-user documentation which may accompany the Software, but only in
association with the Software. =20

but it's still nonfree. i guess adding it to the repositories would
require the same exemption linux-firmware does.

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git=
/
(read the various LICENSE.* files in there)

>
> May I ask an addition?
>
> Riccardo
>
> Winston Weinert wrote:
> > Hi Riccardo,
> >
> > I had this problem for a time (in 2020).=C2=A0 I was able to locate the
> > firmware via Debian and Upstream's websites. Then I copied the
> > firmware into my Alpine installation.=C2=A0 When I last looked Alpine
> > didn't offer this firmware in any package, so I think this might be
> > the fastest way to get it done without writing an APKBUILD.
> >
> >
> > Some helpful links:
> >
> > https://sourceforge.net/projects/ipw2100/files/ipw2100/
> >
> > https://ipw2100.sourceforge.net/firmware.php
> >
> > https://packages.debian.org/bullseye/firmware-ipw2x00
> >
> > https://wiki.debian.org/ipw2200
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Winston
> >
> > https://winny.tech/
> >