O’Reilly Radar: To Binary or Not to Binary, That is the Question

“The Ubuntu developers are in the process of deciding whether to
enable binary-only drivers by default in their installation
process, under certain limited circumstances. This decision process
has prompted the latest wave in a conversation that’s nearly as old
as Linux itself. Some see this step as a compromise on the
principles of freedom, and point out the numerous practical
problems with binary drivers: lack of portability, dependence on
the vendor to fix security flaws, dependence on the vendor to
continue supporting your hardware, etc. Others take a pragmatic
perspective, draw the line that Ubuntu will not cross, or point out
that Ubuntu developers also care about the principles of freedom
and intend to educate their users on the reasons for choosing open
source drivers and hardware vendors that offer open source
drivers…”

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