A big IANAL here. We're coming at this from different angles. Yes non-free
drivers are a GPL violation. However, these drivers and firmware (or at
least the ones I've tried) are click-through licensed by Mediatek under the
GPL and you seem to idicate some of the source confirms that too. So looking
here:
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#DeveloperViolate
a developer can't violate the GPL. Thus the code such as it is, even without
the blob source, is probably technically GPL if e.g. click through licensing
works where you are. Therefore you have the four freedoms including to study,
modify and create derivative versions. So logically a reverse complied
version would just be a derivative of their binary original. The Linux-libre
deblobbing script says pretty much this of some blobs it removes.
There's a chance it's a blob for exactly the same reason jxself's linux-libre
debs are Bring Your Own Firmware and the latest Atheros firmware was a
special packaging effort for Ruben. That is compiling firmware to
microcontroller object code is not integrated into the standard Linux compile
process. But don't bet on it.
With SoCs, the chip design components for the internal devices are licensed
from a variety of sources complete with driver. So they'll only have binary
drivers for some devices in them to start with. As with another SoC mfr it
might be Team A builds a distinct type of SoC and does GPL compliance one
way, and Team B builds a different type and doesn't do GPL at all. All the
web shows you is Team B perhaps.
So given the chances of someone from a free software distro writing to them
before is limited, do as you suggest write. But all you can do is ask for
the source for the blobs (perhaps saying its to save you reverse compiling
them as they've allowed under GPl). It's perhaps best to bear in mind the
Chinese have a social taboo against admitting they got something wrong
'losing face.' So you probably shouldn't tell them they have, e.g. the one
which the source says is an unpublished work, perhaps say something like the
server has a bug and is serving their pre-release code. Even if you send
your email to one of their Western offices if it gets any attention they
could well forward it to someone Chinese perhaps even to the team who will be
in China.
Lastly hardware companies tend to be like Mick Jagger and not get out of bed
for less than a million(units). So assuming your request gets translated and
put in the right team's inbox likely you'll be at the bottom of the list
after all the paying customers for support attention.
