Purism Shows Off The Librem 5 Linux Smartphone In Action

[futuretim]

I still remember when Michael wrote that they will not reach the crowd funding goal and how unrealistic this project was.

I like a lot of the coverage Michael brings and most times there isn't a lot of "editorial leakage" but I definitely think in regards to Purism and the Librem 5 it leaks through a lot. Perhaps he's jaded but it seems inconsistently harsh with respect to Purism and the Librem 5. Look at all the energy they've poured into their laptops and making them pieces of hardware we want and can own (as much as that is possible with today's hardware, re: IME). Not sure if there's more to it than that but I've definitely noticed that as a long reader of Phoronix and before I was a Librem 5 pre-orderer (not crowdfunder).

Disclaimer in case it was not obvious: I have a Librem 5 on pre-order.

[kpedersen]

Yes, there are still no public domain, patent free computers on the market, to my knowledge.

So it seems that we should not use the word "Libre" in a product until we actually do have a free computer.

This bizarre false marketing is weakening the meaning of the word "Libre".

With all the parts they've gone with it's about as "libre" as you can get for this use case and capability.

Thats admirable but they should have called it "AlmostLibrem" or "Compromisem". Libre is not a brand name or a technology. They are misusing it to try to get money from us idiots and that is a little bit unethical.

Trying to be libre is honestly great. I would also buy since it is the most libre I can buy currently. However it isn't libre (yet) and should not be named as such (yet).

Its like naming an eco-Level 2 rated boiler "EcoLevel5Boiler". It is just false advertising.

[Almindor]

I'm cautiously optimistic about this. I've went with the first batch (at least as an option not sure where I'll be in the end) since my main concern is to develop/port some of my Sailfish apps onto it before even switching to it as main workhorse phone.

Firsts are always funky. I hope this works out for them financially and we end up getting a new niche phone/OS that stays OSS (unlike the bloody Jolla traitors!)

[kravemir]

So it seems that we should not use the word "Libre" in a product until we actually do have a free computer.

This bizarre false marketing is weakening the meaning of the word "Libre".



Thats admirable but they should have called it "AlmostLibrem" or "Compromisem". Libre is not a brand name or a technology. They are misusing it to try to get money from us idiots and that is a little bit unethical.

Trying to be libre is honestly great. I would also buy since it is the most libre I can buy currently. However it isn't libre (yet) and should not be named as such (yet).

Its like naming an eco-Level 2 rated boiler "EcoLevel5Boiler". It is just false advertising.

It's not false advertising, as they are on libre-computing path as much as they can. They delivered a functional product with heavy emphasis on privacy, and you can live fully libre life using it, which you cannot have Android or M$ solutions.

[kravemir]

Full disclosure: I have a pre-order for a Librem .

I feel like the above quote is from someone that has NO IDEA what Purism has accomplished. Maybe I'm wrong about that but it's kind of ridiculous. Does it cost more compared to the generic phone with privacy-invading Android on it? Yes. Does it run an immature software stack? Yes.

But focusing on all of that is to miss the forest for the trees. Look at all of the various Android off-shoots or projects trying to essentially accomplish what Purism is doing but in the handicapped ecosystem of Android Linux (LineageOS, postmarket OS, /e/, etc.).

You are certainly entitled to your opinions and by all means vote for with your wallet. But geez, if Purism cannot get the benefit of the doubt from this community what chance does ANYONE have.

There's an amazing video from Bunnie Huang (of Novena Laptop, chumby, etc) about not satisfying open-source hardware activists because they will essentially question every step that they somehow didn't view themselves even if there is separate hardware/steps that can validate the design/functionality.

I can't find the link at the moment but when I do I'll bring it back and post it here.

I would pre-order it too, if the cost was affordable in country I live in,.. Spending $700 on phone is unthinkable by majority here. Common budget for phone is 150~300 € per 2~3 years (phone's life time).

[GI_Jack]

Librem stands for "Libre Marginally" right? There is a lot of proprietary hardware on that thing for something that has "Libre" in the name. At >£600 it certainly isn't referring to the price either.

Yes and no. While not completely free its a big step up from commodity smart phones. Smartphones are very powerful computers these days, but very limited in what they can actually do. Measured in terms of "what freedoms do you pragmaticly get, its very much a big leap.

Getting to the point of "you can install whatever OS you want on it", is a big step. Its a welcome addition to people who want a GNU phone, i.e. the N900/N9 crowd that's been in the dark for quite a few years.

I don't see this being a viable first phone, but depending on its repairability and quality of radios, it might make a nice heirloom device used for other purposes. Especially with the proffesional crowd.

[tildearrow]

You could have used a non-YouTube source...

[jo-erlend]

So it seems that we should not use the word "Libre" in a product until we actually do have a free computer.

Well, why not remove all those words completely then, since true freedom doesn't exist?

[L_A_G]

Thats admirable but they should have called it "AlmostLibrem" or "Compromisem". Libre is not a brand name or a technology. They are misusing it to try to get money from us idiots and that is a little bit unethical.

Trying to be libre is honestly great. I would also buy since it is the most libre I can buy currently. However it isn't libre (yet) and should not be named as such (yet).

Its like naming an eco-Level 2 rated boiler "EcoLevel5Boiler". It is just false advertising.

As I said, you're just being idiotically pedantic here. Yes, it's not 100% "libre", but I'd describe it as being 95% while nobody else can even break 80%. Even that proprietary 5%, i.e the modems, are walled off on their own daughter board that can be switched off at will.

If I had to use an analogy, what you're doing is like complaining that a car is being sold as an "eco" car when it's not completely emissions free even thou it's considerably better in terms of emissions than any other car on the market. Try to understand that we're not talking about a specific level here, we're talking about a general concept to which most of this device adheres to perfectly. The few bits that aren't fully compliant to said principle have had their non-compliance mitigated.

[Vistaus]

Sure, RISC-V chips do exist, but in this use case they're not really ready for mass marker use yet

Neither is the Librem 5.