The 2.6.26 100% Free kernel is out [LWN.net]

The 2.6.26 100% Free kernel is out

Posted Jul 15, 2008 13:41 UTC (Tue) by mb (subscriber, #50428)
In reply to: The 2.6.26 100% Free kernel is out by lxoliva
Parent article: The 2.6.26 kernel is out

So I guess you're just removing a few firmware blobs from the code, or what is this about?

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The 2.6.26 100% Free kernel is out

Posted Jul 15, 2008 17:02 UTC (Tue) by lxoliva (subscriber, #40702) [Link]

ATM, yeah, that's pretty much all this is about, although not all incomprehensible sequences
of numbers that we're taking out are necessarily firmware.

Software also becomes non-Free when measures are taken to stop others from adapting the
software to one's needs (freedom #1), such as obfuscating source code, removing comments and
mnemonic names, or coding it like that in the first place, so as to comply with say an NDA
that covers the documentation one would need access to in order to enjoy this freedom.  In the
end, it's more of an ethical and moral call than a technical one.

Depending on the results of the Kerned Freedom Verification, underway at gNewSense, it may end
up turning into more than that.