There are two separate issues: 1. Linux includes nonfree firmware 2. when a driver requests a firmware and it's missing, it logs an error message containing the firmware file name
Both Debian and Linux-libre solve the first problem removing the firmware from kernel (there are small, unimportant differences). The Debian project hosts a separate repo with this firmware, it's not a part of Debian. The difference is in the second problem: Debian keeps the references to nonfree firmware, Linux-libre replaces them with the /*(DEBLOBBED)*/ string. It solves the issue of the distro "steer[ing] users towards obtaining any nonfree information for practical use, or encourag[ing] them to do so" [0]. There are other possible solutions discussed on the Linux-libre mailing list, they aren't implemented (you can change this). A system where the user isn't allowed to install nonfree programs isn't free (if there are nonfree programs), this is technically similar in Linux-libre: you can load custom modules, e.g. undeblobbed modules that use the nonfree firmware. Making it easier wouldn't help users of completely free systems, so it has a very low priority for the developers. [0] http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html
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