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In the context of free and open-source software, a binary blob is a closed-source binary-only piece of software without publicly available source code. The term usually refers to a closed-source kernel module loaded into the kernel of an open-source operating system, and is sometimes also applied to code running outside the kernel, such as system firmware images, microcode updates, or userland programs. The term ''blob'' was first used in database management systems to describe a collection of binary data stored as a single entity. When computer hardware vendors provide complete technical documentation for their products, operating system developers are able to write hardware device drivers to be included in the operating system kernels. However, some vendors, such as NVIDIA, do not provide complete documentation for some of their products and instead provide binary-only drivers (binary blobs); this practice is most common for accelerated graphics drivers, networking devices, and hardware RAID controllers.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Debian packages built from the source package 'firmware-nonfree' - Binary firmware for various drivers in the Linux kernel )〕 == Acceptance == Some projects try to create a free operating system, and will not accept binary blobs if they cannot get documentation for hardware or source code for device drivers; such projects include Trisquel, Parabola and LibreCMC. Other projects make a distinction between binary-only software and binary-only firmware, and hence distribute firmware blobs; such projects include NetBSD, FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, and some Linux distributions.〔 See Christos Zoulas's response to "Is sharing between Free/Open/NetBSD and the Linux kernel a common occurrence? And if so, does it go both ways?"〕 The OpenBSD project has a notable policy of not accepting any binary blobs into its source tree (however, OpenBSD distributes firmware blobs), citing not only the potential for undetectable or irreparable security flaws, but also the encroachment onto the openness and freedom of its software. The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is actively campaigning against binary blobs. It also considers OpenBSD's policy confusingly worded, as "blobs" in the BSD community refer to what it considers non-free drivers, and not non-free firmware. The Debian project included both free and non-free binary firmware blobs from the Linux kernel, clearly marking and separating the non-free packages〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Debian firmware-linux packages )〕 according to the Debian Social Contract. As of Debian 6.0 those blobs were removed.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems # Debian )〕 For OpenBSD, project leader Theo de Raadt defends the policy of only asking for distribution rights for microcode firmware blobs. "Once they are distributed... at least the device works." Implying that the alternative would be for the members of his small project to code free firmware themselves in the assembly language of many chipsets, he pleads "don't load us up with more tasks." Despite this he favours chipsets that run without firmware and speaks warmly of Asian designs which he describes as slower to market but more mature.〔 In the Linux kernel development community, Linus Torvalds has made strong statements on the issue of binary-only modules, asserting: "I ''refuse'' to even consider tying my hands over some binary-only module", and continuing: "I want people to know that when they use binary-only modules, it's THEIR problem."〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=a/lt-binary )〕 In 2008, 176 Linux kernel developers signed a ''Position Statement on Linux Kernel Modules'' that stated "We, the undersigned Linux kernel developers, consider any closed-source Linux kernel module or driver to be harmful and undesirable... We have repeatedly found them to be detrimental to Linux users, businesses, and the greater Linux ecosystem." However, the Linux kernel contains numerous binary blobs, primarily containing closed-source firmwares required by various device drivers.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Free System Distribution Guidelines (GNU FSDG) - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation )〕 Alexandre Oliva, the maintainer of Linux-libre, a version of the Linux kernel that does not contain binary blobs, wrote in 2011: "Linux hasn't been Free Software since 1996, when Mr Torvalds accepted the first pieces of non-Free Software in the distributions of Linux he has published since 1991. Over these years, while this kernel grew by a factor of 14, the amount of non-Free firmware required by Linux drivers grew by an alarming factor of 83. We, Free Software users, need to join forces to reverse this trend, and part of the solution is Linux-libre, whose release 2.6.33-libre was recently published by FSFLA, bringing with it freedom, major improvements and plans for the future."〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=::():: Take your freedom back, with Linux-2.6.33-libre )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Binary blob」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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