[RFC] b43/b43legacy firmware _download_ packages

[John W. Linville]

Gentlefolk,

As you may know, many devices require firmware loaded onto the device
before it will function.  This is the case with a number of wireless
devices.

For some time now the Fedora project has been accepting firmware
packages provided that the firmware in question is available under
certain specific licensing terms.  This is the case with the firmware
packages for zd1211, rt61, iwl4965, etc.

Unfortunately there are no b43-firmware or b43legacy-firmware packages
in Fedora.  The licenses governing that firmware have yet to have
been deemed sufficiently clear to warrant including such packages
in the Fedora repositories.  FWIW, Broadcom has thus far failed to
clarify those licenses for us...

Fortunately, that firmware is available on the Internet from a number
of sources.  The most convenient of these is OpenWRT.org, to which I
have directed a number of users in the past.  Using the b43-fwcutter
package in conjunction with these images has yielded acceptable
results for a number of users.  Still, this is bit a little painful.

I have created packages that automate the process of downloading
this firmware.  These include scripts to download the firmware,
initscripts to initiate firmware download at boot time, and cron
scripts to check periodically for firmware availability.  With these
in place then as long as the user has a functional connection to the
Internet (ethernet, dialup, etc) _sometimes_, then eventually they
should get the b43 firmware downloaded without any further intervention
(beyond that of installing the package in the first place).  Of course,
the user can schedule an immediate download manually as well.

Along with the scripts, the packages contain SHA1SUM files for the
firmware images.  The scripts check the SHA1 values before attempting
any downloads and only download if the files are missing, outdated, or
somehow damaged.  Should new firmware become preferred in the future,
a new package will contain the new SHA1 values and a new download will
be triggered by cron or at the next boot.  (Obviously the download
only occurs if there is a functional Internet connection.)

So, I have made these packages available for comment.  They are
available here:

	http://fedora.tuxdriver.com/rfc/

Please take a look at these packages and let me know what you think.
I don't know what the appetite for such packages would be in Fedora,
but if people like this approach then I could maintain a yum repo
that will assist the installation and maintenance of these packages.

I hope this helps!

John
-- 
John W. Linville
linville at tuxdriver.com