Subject: Re: bug#35915: Please provide an installer with non-free drivers

From: Leo Famulari <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 May 2019 20:50:41 -0400

On Sun, May 26, 2019 at 12:37:18PM +0200, juh wrote:
> Guix is not just another Linux distribution, but something new that
> supports transactional upgrades and roll-backs, unprivileged package
> management and declarative system configuration. This is really
> exciting. If Guix were just another distro focusing on free software,
> there would be no need for a nonfree installer iso. But in case of Guix
> I think it is missing.

Personally I agree with you. Guix is a great advance in technology and
in some ways the project holds itself back by not shipping with support
for most WiFi chips. Wireless networking is a crucial technology in
2019 and the standards of usability or user friendliness of technology
have never been higher.

> Please consider that using hardware that is supported by free drivers is
> a privilege.

I agree with this too and frankly it can't be understated. Being picky
about which computer to use costs some money and, even more important for
many of us, time.

However, as others have said, Guix is a GNU project, so there is no
option for GNU Guix to distribute an installer with non-free drivers.

We appreciate your thoughtful email and I hope you will stick around and
join our community :)