LibertyBSD 6.1 Released As A "Deblobbed" Version Of OpenBSD

[phoronix]

Phoronix: LibertyBSD 6.1 Released As A "Deblobbed" Version Of OpenBSD

LibertyBSD 6.1 is now available as a deblobbed version of OpenBSD...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=LibertyBSD-6.1-Released

[rpcameron]

I was under the impression that OpenBSD does not ship any proprietary binary blobs. Drivers that need them can download the blobs, but they are not part of the installation. Upon first boot after an installation, OpenBSD runs its 'fw_update' tool which will download the firmwares, but they are separate from the base system. How is this any different?

[starshipeleven]

wtf is wrong with kids these days? That's NOT how you do a libre distro.

Go and reverse-engineer firmwares goddamnit, I can deblob openBSD (or linux) with a couple rm -r /some/folder

[Guy1524]

There is no difference between partially close source and fully closed source. I hate when people say they buy AMD cards because it is open source. It is not, the firmware is a closed source blob which is just as bad as NVIDIA

[starshipeleven]

There is no difference between partially close source and fully closed source. I hate when people say they buy AMD cards because it is open source. It is not, the firmware is a closed source blob which is just as bad as NVIDIA

The firmware is loaded and running inside the peripheral itself, and this firmware blob is usually 100% OS and architecture agnostic, and does not usually receive any updates after a few years, and it is still fine as it is just loaded and running inside the peripheral, which does not change with time.

NVIDIA' s blob is running in userspace and kernelspace in your Linux system and must be kept updated by NVIDIA all the time or their hardware becomes unusable in modern Linux systems.

Then sure you can ignore reality and say that it's all the same and then retreat to your stone-age PC where the same blobs are integrated in the board firmware instead, but that's plain wrong.

[Guy1524]

I use NVIDIA cards exclusively because there is no feasible way to be fully open source

[microcode]

wtf is wrong with kids these days? That's NOT how you do a libre distro. Go and reverse-engineer firmwares goddamnit, I can deblob openBSD (or linux) with a couple rm -r /some/folder

Indeed, more RE needs to be done. That said, a lot of devices just don't accept unsigned/third party signed firmware these days, so for many the best you could do is document the behaviour. It would be nice to have some standard way of loading code signing keys onto devices out-of-band.

[danieru]

wtf is wrong with kids these days? That's NOT how you do a libre distro.

Go and reverse-engineer firmwares goddamnit, I can deblob openBSD (or linux) with a couple rm -r /some/folder

Good idea, go to their email lists and send them some reverse-engineered firmware. Show 'em how the adults do it

[Luke_Wolf]

I use NVIDIA cards exclusively because there is no feasible way to be fully open source

You: "Waaaa AMD has firmware blobs... Dat's why I use Nvidia which has firmware blobs and a proprietary driver. "

By that logic why are you using Linux or BSD at all then? After all by your own words there's no difference between partially closed source and closed source, and so since you're running the Nvidia driver you've got a partially closed source system because their driver is, therefore it's just as bad as a closed source OS right?

It couldn't be that there are actually benefits to even partially open sourced things could it? It couldn't be that open source things tend to be better could it?

Reality check: AMD's drivers are open source, and you're a fucktard who is hanging onto bullshit to defend your decision to purchase Nvidia.

[danieru]

There is no difference between partially close source and fully closed source. I hate when people say they buy AMD cards because it is open source. It is not, the firmware is a closed source blob which is just as bad as NVIDIA

the biggest part is open source, AMD also contribute a lot to Xorg and mesa3d, (unlike nvidia). and there are people working on open source firmware but slowly due to lack of interest.