From alsa-devel-owner@alsa.jcu.cz  Mon Mar  8 20:06:21 1999
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Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 20:08:58 +0100
From: Marcus Brinkmann <Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de>
To: alsa-devel@alsa.jcu.cz
Subject: Re: ALSA Soundcard Vendor Information
References: <19990307202853.G22312@ruhr-uni-bochum.de> <Pine.LNX.4.05.9903072221420.745-100000@cyphyn.219.org>
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In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.05.9903072221420.745-100000@cyphyn.219.org>; from Fred Floberg on Sun, Mar 07, 1999 at 10:30:04PM -0500
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On Sun, Mar 07, 1999 at 10:30:04PM -0500, Fred Floberg wrote:
> 
> Is firmware usually distributed as a seperate file on the installation
> floppies/cdroms that come with the hardware?

Maybe. It could be hidden inside other program files, though. And I have yet
to see a proprietary copyright that allows messing with the binaries and
distribute the result. (you are allowed to do anything in your own four
walls, but copyright is about copying and ditribution and modification).
 
> If so then it doesn't seem like too much of a problem to have owners of
> the hardware copy the firmware from the installation disk into
> /usr/lib/something_or_other/ and have ALSA upload it to the card from there.

Agreed.
 
> Does that make sense to do? I've never owned a card that needed to have its
> firmware uploaded on boot-up.

The thing that comes close for me is the Sound Fonts I used directly from
the Windows drivers for my SB AWE.

Thanks,
Marcus

-- 
`Rhubarb is no Egyptian god.' Debian http://www.debian.org   finger brinkmd@ 
Marcus Brinkmann              GNU    http://www.gnu.org     master.debian.org
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