La propera versió d’Ubuntu 7.04 finalment no forçarà l’ús de drivers propietaris en la seva configuració per defecte tal i com s’havia anunciat fa algun temps, si bé si en facilitarà la instal·lació com en versions anteriors de la distribució.
En Matt Zimmerman ho ha comunicat avui via correu electrònic a la llista d’anuncis d’Ubuntu:
Summary:
Ubuntu 7.04 will preserve the status quo with respect to proprietary video
drivers. As in previous releases, these drivers will be provided for the
convenience of users who choose to use them, but they will not be
activated by default.
Full decision:
There has been a great deal of discussion within the Ubuntu community
regarding a technical proposal (the enabling of Composite support by
default) which would necessitate the use of certain closed-source video
drivers in a default installation of Ubuntu. In response to this
controversy, a meeting was convened among representatives of the Technical
Board and Community Council to evaluate the issues. The following
conclusions were reached by this group:
* The desktop effects technology involved in this proposal is important in
enabling a richer, more immersive desktop experience, and as such, is
relevant to the mission of the Ubuntu project.
* There is a clear need for wider testing of open source software under
development in this area, including both desktop tools and video drivers.
* The exception granted to the Ubuntu Licence Policy at the project's
inception, which allows the use of closed-source components where
necessary to provide sufficient hardware support, remains valid and
pragmatic. For example, this exception has been applied in the past with
regard to wireless network drivers. We consider making full use of video
hardware to be an important component of that hardware support.
* However, some of the relevant software necessary to implement this
proposal is not yet considered mature enough to deploy in the default
Ubuntu configuration.
Therefore:
* The proposal will be modified such that the default configuration of
Ubuntu remains the same with regard to the selection of video drivers.
* However, new infrastructure will be implemented which allows the user to
trivially enable both enhanced desktop effects and the necessary driver
support.
* The Ubuntu project reaffirms that it will not include closed-source
components in its default configuration except where allowed by the
existing exception for the provision of sufficient hardware support.
* Decisions on what hardware support is sufficient for these purposes will
be made on a case-by-case basis by the Technical Board and the Community
Council.
* Ubuntu will monitor and support the progress of the free Nouveau driver,
which offers the prospect of supporting enhanced desktop effects for
users of NVIDIA hardware without the need for closed-source drivers.
* When the factors involved in this decision change, further consideration
will be given to the possibility of changing the default configuration.
[tags]Ubuntu, Drivers[/tags]