[Linux-wlan-ng-devel] Bug#583520: don't assume an Internet connection to make package usable

[Tormod Volden]

Thanks for your report.

On Fri, May 28, 2010 at 5:04 AM,  <jidanni at jidanni.org> wrote:
> That is very nice, however this package may have very well been
> installed by the user in a sneakernet situation, where he needs this
> package to enable his network connection in the first place - a chicken
> and egg situation. He may ONLY have a wireless or sneakernet connection
> available or need this package to initialize his antenna!

The prism2-usb-firmware-installer package is for the convenience of
the vast majority who can either use a wired connection during
installation or use the card with built-in firmware and just wants to
upgrade the firmware. Otherwise you can use the linux-wlan-ng-firmware
package to make a .deb (including the firmware files) which you can
distribute among your own machines.

How else would you suggest to solve the chicken and egg situation you
are referring to?

>>  and convert them to the format used by the kernel modules since 2.6.32.
>
>>  The downloaded file will be used as-is by the 2.6.31 kernel. If you have an
>>  earlier kernel you will have to install the linux-wlan-ng-firmware package
>>  instead.
>
> First you mention -32, then -31...

The -31 kernel does not use the converted format, but the raw downloaded one.

>
>>  Note that only some adapters really need a firmware file and that firmware
>>  files are not completely free (in the sense of freely redistributable), which
>>  is why this package exists.
>
> Perhaps move to non-free so the Internet connection need not be required.

The firmware files themselves can not be distributed by Debian, not
even in non-free.