GNU Linux-libre 6.10 Takes Aim At Intel IPU6, Panthor & Other Drivers With Blobs

Following last night's release of the Linux 6.10 kernel, the FSF LA developers have released GNU Linux-libre 6.10-gnu as their downstream kernel flavor that strips out the ability to load binary-only kernel modules and the ability to load non-free firmware/microcode into open-source drivers, among other alterations in the name of software freedom.

Maintaining GNU Linux-libre 6.10-gnu continues to be an upward battle with most hardware these days requiring closed-source microcode/firmware for proper operation. With GNU Linux-libre 6.10, the developers pursuing this effort had to deal with new/updated driver code for the Panthor, Intel IPU6, PRUEth SR1, rtw8703b, tps23881, air_en8811h, Intel ISH HID, and pcm6240 drivers.

The Panthor DRM driver is new to Linux 6.10 for supporting newer Arm Mali graphics. But with the Panthor driver targeting the newer Arm Mali GPUs using the Command Stream Frontend (CSF), it's a firmware blob necessary for support. As such without those firmware bits, the Panthor driver will be rather useless in the scope of GNU Linux-libre.

Similarly, with Linux 6.10 is also upstreaming Intel IPU6 code that is necessary as part of bringing up the web camera support on newer Intel Core laptops. But without the necessary firmware support, the Intel IPU6 web camera support will remain useless.

There are also new files within the Adreno, Intel IPU3, and PRUEth that required further cleaning up with the GNU Linux-libre 6.10 driver.

Aside from the driver deblobbing and other code wrangling in the name of pure free software ideals, there's also the usual new artwork to accompany the kernel update:

Those interested in the GNU Linux-libre 6.10 kernel can learn more about the effort via the release announcement.