FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core" [LWN.net]

FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

Posted Nov 12, 2010 21:12 UTC (Fri) by foom (subscriber, #14868)
In reply to: FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core" by lxoliva
Parent article: FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

> I agree it's important to inform users about the non-Free firmware built into their computers. I'll give some thought about how to do that.

It would be useful for someone to start cataloging what non-free firmware there is, and which alternative hardware you can purchase instead (if any) that has free firmware available. There is currently essentially *no* information about this problem available currently.

Things I can think of with Flash-based (upgradable!) non-free firmware in my computer for which there are to my knowledge zero devices with free firmware available:
- Hard Drive
- DVD Drive
- Ethernet card
- Keyboard
- Trackpad
- Video card (may not matter? Do the free drivers actually call any functionality in the non-free firmware?)
- LCD Display

Things that come with non-free firmware that people have started working on a replacement for:
- Motherboard (see coreboot project)

And I bet there's more that I forgot about.

I think it would greatly increase the credibility of linux-libre if it also advised users of the danger of using non-free firmware in all the above devices, as well as the devices that require firmware to be uploaded at boot. I bet most people don't even think about the dangers of the non-free OS running in their hard drive.

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FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

Posted Nov 12, 2010 22:30 UTC (Fri) by jebba (✭ supporter ✭, #4439) [Link]

I think the Lemote Yeeloong would fit most or all of the above. At least it has free wifi, ethernet, video, and BIOS.

http://www.lemote.com/en/products/Notebook/2010/0310/112....
http://tekmote.nl
http://freedomincluded.com

FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

Posted Nov 14, 2010 4:50 UTC (Sun) by foom (subscriber, #14868) [Link]

That's great! I was unaware that such a freedom-supporting laptop was available for sale. Clearly it could use more prominent mention whenever people talk about non-freeness of firmware.

I do wonder about its card reader, keyboard, and touchpad, however...

And I'm *sure* its Hard Drive has non-free firmware in it. They could fix that part, at least, by putting raw flash chips in instead, and using one of Linux's raw-flash filesystems like JFFS2 or UBIFS.