GNU Linux-libre 6.0 Released After More Blob Cleaning

[phoronix]

Phoronix: GNU Linux-libre 6.0 Released After More Blob Cleaning

Following yesterday's release of the upstream Linux 6.0 kernel, the GNU FSFLA folks have released GNU Linux-libre 6.0 as their downstream that removes driver support for loading binary firmware/microcode and the ability to load non-free-software kernel modules...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/GNU-Linux-Libre-6.0

[discordian]

How about doing a Steam-Deck libre next? Would love to see the cognitive dissonance here.

[JEBjames]

Michael

Teh typos never end

"continues to be hte kernel"

[phoron]

Thanks a lot to GNU linux-libre for their work.

[Developer12]

https://ariadne.space/2022/01/22/the-fsfs-relationship-with-firmware-is-harmful-to-free-software-users/

the FSF’s relationship with firmware is harmful to free software users

[blackiwid]

How about doing a Steam-Deck libre next? Would love to see the cognitive dissonance here.

What do you mean install the libre kernel on it or modify it for the deck? The latter would be pointless, the libre kernel is the libre kernel and should valve include some libre parts it should be in upstream and included already. Or do you mean they should make a non-free libre kernel for the deck? that's like trying to make dog-ice-cream for humans or something alike.

[hwertz]

Got to admit, I have no problem with linux-libre if people want it. But, although I love the idea of having all free firmware, that's certainly a laudable goal... I do find it very silly that a device could have a flash ROM with firmware in it and that's perfectly fine... but the same device with RAM instead of flash ROM, and same firmware, that's forbidden. A device expecting closed source drivers or blobs to run ON THE MAIN CPU are a problem, since a) it restricts that device to whatever CPU type the blob is for (so probably x86, but these days maybe ARM if it was expected to be stuck in tablets or whatever...) and b) the few times I've dabbled with this type of driver, I've been burned each time by the vendor not being bothered to update the driver to support newer kernels (actually both where GPUs -- an older nvidia card where nvidia quit releasing updates, on that I switched to noveau; and one of the Intel "Pousbo" GMA500 where I had a driver that worked GREAT but meant no more kernel or X updates since they never released newer updates for that driver.)

[discordian]

What do you mean install the libre kernel on it or modify it for the deck? The latter would be pointless, the libre kernel is the libre kernel and should valve include some libre parts it should be in upstream and included already. Or do you mean they should make a non-free libre kernel for the deck? that's like trying to make dog-ice-cream for humans or something alike.

A complete steam deck installation without propietary software. Ie. "Deck"

[Developer12]

A complete steam deck installation without propietary software. Ie. "Deck"

Is that even possible? All gpu drivers for AMD chips require calling into atombios blobs to even do modesetting............

......ah OF COURSE. IT'S "NOT A BLOB" IF IT'S NOT ON THE FILESYSTEM, says the FSF.

The atombios is provided by the BIOS, which while not a "ROM" (and therefore doesn't meet their requirements for "hardware") seems to pacify them anyway.

Anything to just keep the nasty unclean blobs off the fulesystem of their beautiful libre OS, where users might see them.

[blackiwid]

Is that even possible?

I don't think it would boot, it's easy testable, but if at all there would be pretty sure no wlan support, also I had with my Ryzen 2400g problems with gpu microcode and other shit. Just try to boot trisqual from a live usb on it and you see what works and what not.