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OK, thanks for the clarification...that said however, I am now concerned that 
I "wasted" my money by purchasing 9.2.  I expect the CDs to arrive by the end 
of the month and expect the source to be included as my Nvidia card is 
essentially useless without the official, compiled Nvidia driver (it is 
wasted to own a 3D accelerated card and not be able to take advantage of 3D 
acceleration by using the GPL driver - you might as well get a cheapo 2D-only 
video card).

Now let me preface this next with the statement that I am NOT ranting.  I am 
providing a very reasonable critique with the underlying implication on how 
to fix it...

I do NOT have broadband and it is not acceptable to tie up my phoneline for 
the incredibly long period necessary to download a kernel source rpm (my wife 
is on call, our phone service in the boonies is less than perfect).  If I 
just spent money to support Mandrake but get screwed without kernel source, 
then I feel I've wasted my money.  I buy the CDs for convenience, to avoid 
useing exceedingly slow modem connections.  What's the point of spending 
money on something that is incomplete and difficult to complete?  I need the 
kernel source within minutes of completing the installation or my video card 
is garbage - as is some of my other hardware which flat-out requires 
kernel-source to build their drivers, which MUST be built, and some of my 
software, which MUST be built.

Experimental kernels are garbage, in the scheme of things, and should be left 
for downloading only rather than be supplied on CDs.  I would have to say 
that the multimedia kernel is also pointless given that most people don't 
need, nor use it.  Cut this extraneous fluff to permit room for rather 
critical packages.  I am NOT even really ranting against experimental kernels 
or the multimedia kernel, etc, but I am saying that their importance is small 
relative to more important items like kernel source (from which you can build 
your multimedia kernel if you wish and do not want to download such a binary 
rpm).  I am merely ranking things in order of importance considering limited 
resources (CDs).  If space is limited, then you make cuts to cover the most 
ground with the most efficiency.  

Now I hope I am wrong and that when my paid-for CDs come I find kernel source 
on them.  If not, then Mandrake is simply leaving a bad taste in my mouth and 
causing what would otherwise be a simple install to become problematic.  
POTENTIALLY (not certain as I do not have the CDs yet) more problem than it 
is worth given all the factors I must consider.  

Get real here.  There are a bunch of kernel rpms supplied that are just not 
critical right off the bat (experimental, multimedia).  Dump them if space is 
a premium and have those who want them download them...why should this 
minority of users who actually use these kernels receive more consideration 
(given the CD limitations) than most users who do not use them? 

Now I do base this criticism upon what I am reading in the thread about 
missing kernel source.  Is this the limit for those downloading base iso's?  
Or is it true for those of us who shell out for official CDs too?  If it is 
the former...I am less upset though I think my logic (ranking what is really 
important vs what is nice) holds.

praedor

On Thursday 16 October 2003 11:47 am, Thomas Backlund wrote:
> Praedor Atrebates kirjoitti viestiss��n (l�hetysaika Torstai 16 Lokakuu
> 2003
>
> 19:41):
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> > Err, in following this thread my first thought is:  isn't not supplying
> > the kernel source technically a violation of GPL?  The HAVE to supply the
> > source and should make allowances (reductions in certain packages) if it
> > is not possible to put the source on one of the official distro CDs. 
> > Kernel source is critical for many reasons, not leastwise to comply with
> > GPL.
>
> It is supplied, just not on the CD:s, head over to the ftp mirrors and grab
> it there...
>
> and as far as GPL go, It has been stated before, you don't need to ship the
> sourcecode with your rpms, _only_ make them easy available, wich they
> are...

- -- 
"Our ship is in the hands of pilots who are steering directly under full sail 
for a rock.  The whole crew may see this course to violate our liberties in 
full view if they look the right way."
- --Samuel Adams, 1771
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