GNU Linux-libre 6.1-gnu Deblobs More Network & GPU Drivers

Following the release last night of the Linux 6.1 kernel by Linus Torvalds, the GNU crew has released their GNU Linux-libre 6.1 kernel that is derived from those sources while continuing to strip out code dependent upon non-free firmware/microcode and blocking the ability to load proprietary kernel modules.

GNU Linux-libre 6.1-gnu is now available for those that prefer this prefer free software flavor even where it can mean reduced hardware support over lack of being able to dynamically load required firmware files. With the Linux 6.1 re-base, the GNU developers continue battling a lot of GPU and wired/wireless network drivers in particular.

GNU Linux-libre 6.1-gnu release logo.

Per the release announcement from Alexandre Oliva:

Several drivers required adjustments due to new blobs or code rearrangement: amdgpu and i915 drm, brcmfmac, r8188eu, and rtw8852c wifi, and Intel ACPI sound.

Upstream moved some media drivers to a deprecated directory, so we've adjusted cleaning up code for tm6000 TV cards, cpia2 v4l, and sp8870, av7110, and budget media cards.

A new blob-requiring driver for rtw8852b wifi was cleaned up, and blob names have been dropped from multiple new Qualcomm and MediaTek AArch64 dts files.

For more information on this downstream kernel flavor visit FSFLA.org.