b43 driver in Ubuntu (and also Debian)

[Ma Xiaojun]

On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 7:48 AM, Martin Pitt <martin.pitt at ubuntu.com> wrote:
> Jockey still had a handler for b43 until maverick. It was dropped in
> natty and above, as our linux-firmware package has shipped the
> firmware since then:
>
> /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm43xx-0.fw
> /lib/firmware/brcm/bcm43xx_hdr-0.fw
> /lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac43236b.bin
>
> Also, we now use the "wl" driver by default, which works a lot better
> (or at all) on the hardware we have test access to.

That's interesting.
The file name looks general.
Since it is included in linux-firmware package. Does it mean that if
the hardware is supported by the firmware, even Ubuntu LiveCD would
work? That could make testing a lot easier.

But for BCM4331 on my MacBook 8.1, the experience is that b43 is still needed.
The bug I mentioned previously and its replies from other people
should be enough to convince you the need.

> ubuntu-drivers-common does not have any particular "handlers". If we
> still want b43-fwcutter for some reason (perhaps it might extract
> different firmware than the one in linux-firmware), it should grow a
> Modaliases: package field to say which hardware it should be applied
> to. Then u-d-common will pick it up automatically.

You mean adding meta to b43-fwcutter package?

Anyway, on a lower level, b43-fwcutter source package should be
updated to faithfully do what b43 upstream says.