RedHat 9 and RHCE

[Whitley GS11 Cecil H]

> Hi Aaron,
> Perhaps RedHat needs to familiarize themselves with 17 U.S.C 121.
> Individuals with a provable print disability can legally accomodate
> themself, or optionally have some other provider (bookshare.org, NLS, etc)
> do it for them.  This does not require the permission of the copyright
> holder.  This of course is only applicable to persons within the U.S.  If
> you are outside the U.S. then whatever copyright provisions are made by
> treaty apply.    Given that RedHat Enterprise server is now a DOD COE
> section 508 are applicable as well.  There are
> support/training/documentation requirements in section 508.  
> 
> Now, as to RH 9 and speakup....  In reading over the 2.4.20-ac releases I
> recall that Alan Cox decided to pull speakup support.  It was a
> "technical" call on his part.  His determination was that it didn't belong
> in the kernel.  This is my recollection at least.  He put it in in the
> first place and later revisited that descision as a mistake.  So, with
> that said, the argument then shifts from moral questions to technical
> ones.  If access cannot be done in user space that needs to be brought
> forward and fixed.  But that solution is a technical one, not a moral one.
> I do not know the technical issues and what approach is best, workable or
> optimal and so I will not judge his descision.  I leave that to those who
> are willing to buy into the argument with him through sweat equity.  So in
> short, RH 8 shipped with a "stock" kernel that happened to include
> speakup.  Speakup has since been dropped from the "stock" kernel and
> therefore does not appear in RH 9.  Of course RH does not ship "stock"
> kernels, they "add" features, turn some on and others off (not remove!).  
> 
> So, in summary:
> 1.  RedHat has legal obligations for accomodation and cannot prevent some
> unilateral actions by the print disabled community
> 2.  Speakup appeared in RH 8 because it was in the "stock" kernel
> 3.  Speakup was removed from the "stock" kernel with 2.4.20 final.
> 4.  The descision to remove speakup was made by a kernel maintainer for
> technical reasons.
> 5.  Those with the skill and the time can argue with that maintainer and
> provide patches that will bring speakup in compliance with what he thinks
> "should" be in a kernel, or at least comply with what he would accept
> being in a "stock" kernel.
> 6.  I wrote Alan and thanked him for the inclusion of speakup in 2.4.18.
> I was disappointed at it's removal subsequently.  I feel that the kernel
> needs to provide some accessability features either "always on" or "on
> demand" and that it should be part of the mainstream kernel.  That itch
> however is not adaquately strong that I scratch it.  Is yours?
> 7.  RedHat shipped RH 9 in their normal fashion and did not remove any
> accessability features.  They do not prevent you from applying whatever
> you like to the kernel, they just don't do it for you.  See also item 6
> above.
> 8.  RedHat failing to accomodate one of their students is morally wrong.
> In the U.S. it is also illegal.  ADA and others are reactive not
> proactive.  If it bothers you that much, sue.  It should be noted that I
> went through the MCSE courses for NT 4 and M.S. provided accessable
> training materials to the company providing the training.  This may sway
> RedHat in the future for their courses if someone else is headed down that
> path.  Cisco provides readers for their CCNA/CCNP/CCIE exams.  RedHat may
> prefer to lead rather than to follow.  Additionally, if they intend to
> sell to the U.S. Government they need to comply with section 508 in their
> support, training and documentation.  
[Whitley GS11 Cecil H]