Bug#980746: remove ath9k_htc, provided by libre package firmware-ath9k-htc

[John Scott]

Package: firmware-nonfree
Version: 20160110-1
Severity: normal
Control: affects -1 src:open-ath9k-htc-firmware

As discussed on the mailing list(s), I'm looking into making a udeb for
firmware-ath9k-htc with kernel-wedge. Although I've not delved too much into
it yet, I anticipate that being able to install the firmware under its
canonical name will at least be helpful, and potentially necessary.

To avoid clashing with the ones provided in firmware-nonfree, I do a hack
where I ship it as e.g. /lib/firmware/ath9k_htc/htc_7010-1.dev.0.fw, and
then install a modprobe option to tell the kernel module to look for it
under that name. This is certainly confusing.

Fortunately because of this crutch, it doesn't need to be fixed atomically.
The firmware can be removed from firmware-nonfree first, then I can switch
the name over, adding Breaks as necessary, at some later time.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: bullseye/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing'), (2, 'unstable'), (1, 'testing-debug'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 5.10.0-1-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU threads)
Kernel taint flags: TAINT_USER, TAINT_FIRMWARE_WORKAROUND
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE not set
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled

[Bastian Blank]

On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 06:28:16AM -0500, John Scott wrote:
> As discussed on the mailing list(s), I'm looking into making a udeb for
> firmware-ath9k-htc with kernel-wedge.

You missunderstood something. All the firmware stuff is _only_ shipped
as deb, not as udeb.

> To avoid clashing with the ones provided in firmware-nonfree, I do a hack
> where I ship it as e.g. /lib/firmware/ath9k_htc/htc_7010-1.dev.0.fw, and
> then install a modprobe option to tell the kernel module to look for it
> under that name. This is certainly confusing.

Please provide a proper patch for firmware-nonfree to replace the
currently included firmware with a dependency.

> Fortunately because of this crutch, it doesn't need to be fixed atomically.
> The firmware can be removed from firmware-nonfree first, then I can switch
> the name over, adding Breaks as necessary, at some later time.

You need to remove the problem first. Then we can properly fix it.

Bastian

--
Landru! Guide us!
-- A Beta 3-oid, "The Return of the Archons", stardate 3157.4

[John Scott]

On Thursday, January 21, 2021 7:31:57 AM EST Bastian Blank wrote:
>> As discussed on the mailing list(s), I'm looking into making a udeb for
>> firmware-ath9k-htc with kernel-wedge.
> You missunderstood something. All the firmware stuff is _only_ shipped
> as deb, not as udeb.

This mail from Ben Hutchings says that I should be making a udeb since this
firmware is free: https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/
179d6d32466dd13962a3aab...@decadent.org.uk
Although I see what he meant was that kernel-wedge doesn't support this sort
of thing well yet, and that changes to it will be needed to go that route.

> Please provide a proper patch for firmware-nonfree to replace the
> currently included firmware with a dependency.

If the purpose is to make a smooth transition for those who only have non-free
firmware installed, but no free firmware installed, then I can do that. Since
this firmware is free, firmware-linux-free should Recommend it (#900171), and
I've provided a merge request for that which I'd appreciate review of.

[Debian Bug Tracking System]

Processing control commands:

> tags -1 patch
Bug #980746 [firmware-nonfree] remove ath9k_htc, provided by libre package firmware-ath9k-htc
Added tag(s) patch.

--
980746: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=980746
Debian Bug Tracking System
Contact ow...@bugs.debian.org with problems

[John Scott]

Control: tags -1 patch

> Please provide a proper patch for firmware-nonfree to replace the
> currently included firmware with a dependency.

I couldn't figure out how to add a Recommends or a dependency; that templates
are used to generate the control file seems to limit this. In any case I've
sent an MR for firmware-linux-free to get the Recommends and would appreciate
review of that.

Here's a patch for the removal from non-free firmware-atheros.

[Bastian Germann]

On Sat, 23 Jan 2021 16:49:09 -0500 John Scott <jsc...@posteo.net> wrote:
> Here's a patch for the removal from non-free firmware-atheros.

In the firmware-ath9k-htc package the files are named differently:

/lib/firmware/ath9k_htc/htc_9271-1.dev.0.fw
/lib/firmware/ath9k_htc/htc_9271-1.dev.0.fw

Does the kernel know about those as well or will we need links?

[Debian Bug Tracking System]

Processing control commands:

> forwarded -1 https://salsa.debian.org/kernel-team/firmware-nonfree/-/merge_requests/54

Bug #980746 [firmware-nonfree] remove ath9k_htc, provided by libre package firmware-ath9k-htc

Bug #837385 [firmware-nonfree] firmware-atheros: move DFSG-free ath9k_htc firmware to main
Set Bug forwarded-to-address to 'https://salsa.debian.org/kernel-team/firmware-nonfree/-/merge_requests/54'.
Set Bug forwarded-to-address to 'https://salsa.debian.org/kernel-team/firmware-nonfree/-/merge_requests/54'.

--
837385: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=837385

[Debian Bug Tracking System]

Your message dated Sat, 25 Feb 2023 17:20:14 +0000
with message-id <E1pVyDW-...@fasolo.debian.org>
and subject line Bug#837385: fixed in firmware-nonfree 20230210-2
has caused the Debian Bug report #837385,
regarding remove ath9k_htc, provided by libre package firmware-ath9k-htc
to be marked as done.

This means that you claim that the problem has been dealt with.
If this is not the case it is now your responsibility to reopen the
Bug report if necessary, and/or fix the problem forthwith.

(NB: If you are a system administrator and have no idea what this
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--
837385: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=837385