A question about this card, gnu-kernel and non-free firmware.
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This is the card
https://www.amazon.it/-/en/AX1800Mbps-WiFi-USB-Linux-Adapter/dp/B0BTHQNK5S
This is the driver
https://github.com/morrownr/rtw89
Today I had run this card on gnu-kernel even loading a non-free firmware
root@slackware:~# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.
eth0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/anyMode:Managed
Access Point: Not-Associated
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off
Fragment thr:offEncryption key:off
Power Management:on
root@slackware:~# uname -r
6.16.12-gnu
root@slackware:~#lsmod |grep 8852
rtw89_8852bu_git 12288 0
rtw89_usb_git 28672 1
rtw89_8852bu_git
rtw89_8852b_git 348160 1
rtw89_8852bu_git
rtw89_8852b_common_git 65536 1
rtw89_8852b_git
.....
The non free firmware is rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin (marked by debian packages as non-free)
as you can see it load without no problem in kernel 6.16.12
Now the question is: if require a non-free firmware why the Gnu kernel allow this firmware?
This is the dmesg
[ 109.109880] usb 2-1: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd[ 109.122506] usb 2-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=b832, bcdDevice= 0.00[ 109.122511] usb 2-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3[ 109.122513] usb 2-1: Product: 802.11ax WLAN Adapter[ 109.122514] usb 2-1: Manufacturer: Realtek[ 109.122515] usb 2-1: SerialNumber: ???[ 109.189869] rtw89_core_git: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.[ 109.209985] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: loaded firmware rtw89/rtw8852b_fw-1.bin[ 109.210348] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: git commit[ 109.211162] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: MAC has already powered on[ 109.233952] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: Firmware version 0.29.128.0 (418a672d), cmd version 0, type 5[ 109.233957] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: Firmware version 0.29.128.0 (418a672d), cmd version 0, type 3[ 109.775918] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: chip rfe_type is 1[ 109.823664] ACPI: : failed to evaluate _DSM e8c3a8d2-694b-004f-82bd-fe8607803aa7 rev:0 func:10 (0x1001)[ 109.823673] ACPI: : failed to evaluate _DSM e8c3a8d2-694b-004f-82bd-fe8607803aa7 rev:0 func:6 (0x1001)[ 109.824742] rtw89_8852bu_git 2-1:1.0: rfkill hardware state changed to enable[ 109.825157] usbcore: registered new interface driver rtw89_8852bu_git
Is possible that was too easy to tricky the gnu-kernel and allow non-free firmware just compiling a driver from git? I think they can find a mechanism/trigger/something to disallow this.
That would be implementing Digital Restriction Management. The Trisquel project does not do that. After all, if a user gets nonfree software from outside Trisquel's repository and install it, it is her problem. We believe it is bad for her (hence the absence of nonfree software in Trisquel's repository), but she deserves the right to install whatever she wants on her system.