ethical ubuntu

[Quim Gil]

I've got in the mid of an ethical debate about the Ubuntu default
installation, and perhaps you can provide some more info. 

The debate where I com from is focusing in the non-free packages
installed by default, with apparently no choice for the user (?) and no
info provided (??).

There is this example of a Ubuntu Dapper default install:

xxxxx at zzzzz:~$ vrms
        Non-free packages installed on zzzzz
        
        linux-386 Complete Linux kernel on 386.
        linux-restricted-modules- Non-free Linux 2.6.15 modules on 386
        linux-restricted-modules- Restricted Linux modules on 386.
        linux-restricted-modules- Non-free Linux 2.6.15 modules helper
        script
        ttf-gentium Gentium TrueType font
        
        5 non-free packages, 0.5% of 1068 installed packages.
        

The Gentium TrueType font is like free as for today by FSF standards, no
problem. About the rest:

- Are these modules installed always, or just depending on the devices
found by the installer?

- Is the user receiving any kind of information about these non-free
packages being used during the installation process?

- Is it a way for the user tu avoid in any way the installation of these
packages, either through a pre-install menu or any kind of optional
configuration during the installation process?

Also

- The user of this example had apparently a 100% Debian system working
on the same hardware. Would this mean that he can *probably* (I'm not
asking "surely") remove the non-free kernel packages without damaging
the system?

I know about the https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Ubuntu-libre plans, I just want
to know these details about the current Dapper behaviour. Thank you.

-- 
Quim Gil /// http://desdeamericaconamor.org | http://guadec.org
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