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> Industry “conventional wisdom” often argues that FCC requirements somehow conflict with the software right to repair. SFC has long argued that's pure FUD. We
by acka 2y ago
> Industry “conventional wisdom” often argues that FCC requirements somehow conflict with the software right to repair. SFC has long argued that's pure FUD. We at SFC and OpenWrt have now proved copyleft compliance, the software right to repair, and FCC requirements are all attainable in one product!
This is not FUD, regulatory compliance requires that devices which make unlicensed use of radio spectrum (such as Wi-Fi) must contain non-user modifiable software for their radios in order to comply with regulations, and the MT7976C chip used in this device is no exception. While most of the mt76 driver is open source, it does contain a binary blob containing proprietary firmware which must be uploaded to the chip in order for it to function.
The claim that all of the software in the OpenWRT One is open source and copyleft is therefore false, it cannot be any other way, FCC regulatory compliance and being fully open source are mutually exclusive by definition.
- Sebb767 2y ago> regulatory compliance requires that devices which make unlicensed use of radio spectrum (such as Wi-Fi) must contain non-user modifiable software for their radios in order to comply with regulations Couldn't one restrict the chip to only accept signed firmware and then publish the source with reproduceable build instructions? This would prevent user modification while still being open source.
- rgmerk 2y agoWhile it might be technically open source, it's very, very much against the spirit of open source. It's also explicitly prohibited under the GPLv3 unless there's no way that the manufacturer can update that firmware.
- Sebb767 2y agoWell, it's not great, but it's still a step up from an opaque firmware blob and (maybe?) still allowed under FCC rules.