[bri3d]

I do agree that it probably shouldn't be allowable; even minor pieces like webcam firmware have proven very important (see the Apple webcam firmware with no light story from a few days ago).

Plus without the requirement to release firmware for co-processors, some full machines with the potential for DMA and all sorts of nefarious concepts can exist that nobody even notices (SMC, WiFi, Bluetooth, "fan managers" and so on).

With that being said no modern CPU vendor would even think about open-sourcing their CPU microcode especially, so the FSF are stuck between a rock and a hard place. With a true "every single thing open" requirement in place, the only general purpose PC made in the last ten years or so that could hope to come close to passing would be a Chinese MIPS laptop.

[hackmiester]

Can I get a link to that webcam firmware story? I read a little bit about it, but I was looking for a more technical look into why it would be possible to enable a camera with no LED.

I always thought the sensor power was connected also to the LED, to prevent exactly that type of hackery.

[jholman]

bluekitten, who appears to be hellbanned for no reason at all, gave this link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/12/18...