Bug 106000

Please provide YaST logs.

Additionally to the problem that the yast software installer does not start at 
all, the needed slamr kernel module is not included in the OpenSUSE 
kernel-default-nogpl package. Yes, I've used the OpenSUSE images, if it is 
intended that it's not included here (because of the license) then sorry, I 
just reported for the false product. Probably aj knows more about that, took 
him into CC.  
 
On the thing that yast-software-install does not start: I don't have access to 
the machine the next few days, but I will try to get yast logs as soon as I 
can. 
 

That package is not part of openSUSE.

I was able to access another acer system to recheck. 
 
Yast on OpenSUSE tries to install smartlink-softmodem, and the small window 
"Package database will be read..." appears. The normal software installation 
window does not appear since the smartlink-softmodem package is not available. 
This will probalby to confusion by OpenSUSE users... I'll attach the relevant 
y2log, but I think we can close this, as it is a licensing issue.  
 
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/10.0/SUSE-Linux10.0-Beta2-Extra/kernel-modules+firmware/CD1/suse/i586/kernel-default-nongpl-2.6.13_rc6_git7-3.i586.rpm 
does not contain the slamr module too. Jürgen, is the license for 
smartlink-softmodem and that kernel-module such problematic? 
 

Created attachment 46812 [details]
y2log of modem installation

YaST must check if the media provides the package and show an appropriate
message if not.

To be exact: 
it shows the small window "Reading package database..." 
After that, this dialog pops up (translated from german): "Needed packages not 
installed, go further?" 
 
This dialog box comes from the modem module, I think. 
 
 
 

I think the check (comment 6) should be in Package*.ycp.
But what should the message say? Something like "Package not found. If you have
openSUSE, get it from ... . Or buy the box."
Andreas, can you give us the message?
We have text freeze but this seems important.

My proposal:
Package not found on installation media.  It might be available in other
repositories.

Yes, you are heading into the right direction.

Package xxx is not available on the current installation medium.  Check out
other software [or package] repositories.

Rebecca to proofread the message, please.

I am not very keen on saying "other repositories" because I don't know that 
the average user is going to know what that means or how to do it.  Does it 
really make sense to say that all? 
 
 
I would stick to just:  
"Package xxx is not available in the current installation sources." (seeing as 
YaST can have several enabled at once) 
Or, if we want to simplify life in general, merge everything into one nice 
confirm pop-up: 
 
"Package xxx is not available in the current installation sources.  Required 
packages are not installed.  Continue?" 
 
Or whatever the original says. 
 
 
If you really feel a need to mention alternative repositories we could go with 
something like: 
 
"Package xxx is not available in the current installation sources.  Other 
sources might provide this package." 
 
But you could also conceivably get this error in the event of a bug when the 
package name changed or something. 
 

to comment#4 
smartlink-softmodem is a closed source driver. It is a decision of OpenSUSE to 
skip code that is not open. That is not directly a license issue. 
And yes, the license is also problematic: The enduser agrees to use the driver 
only on smartlink hardware. 

Is this resolved meanwhile? We need the drivers at least in the retail version.

Set to critical. Laptop users should be able to use their modem with SL 10.

Autobuild is configured to put smartlink-softmodem on CD, DVD and FTP for the 
retail version, but will skip smartlink-softmodem on the OSS versions. 
Is there an issue with that config? 

So that means that smartlink-softmodem will be available on the retail  
version. That's ok for Martin and me, I guess.  
 
 

yes, closed.