Laptop running 100% Free Software (was: A pan-European DFD activity proposal)

Fabian Keil freebsd-listen at fabiankeil.de
Tue Feb 14 16:19:03 UTC 2012


"Jelle Hermsen" <jelle at fsfe.org> wrote (quoting adjusted):

> On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 14:40:12 +0100, discussion-bounces at fsfeurope.org
> wrote:
> > * judith at movingyouth.eu <judith at movingyouth.eu> [2012-02-08 14:18:55
> > +0100]:
> > 
> > > What about about giving to the winner a laptop or desktop with
> > > current freedom tools that one use in his day-today life - a freedom
> > > box, Free Software social networks, browser and OS?
> > 
> > This kind of hardware is a bit difficult for FSFE as a prize. Most of
> > the hardware relies on non-free drivers, and we would have to find
> > hardware that does not depend on that. I do not want to give something
> > to a winner, which forces him to use non-free software.

> You could give away Lemote Yeeloong as a prize, they are running 100%
> Free Software, including the bios.
 
Quoting http://www.lemote.com/en/products/Notebook/2010/0310/112.html:

| 1) The world's first fully free software. All system source
| files(BIOS, kernel, drivers etc.) are free software, no close
| firmware needed.

Given that the BIOS is the only firmware that is explicitly
mentioned to be free software, I assume "no close firmware needed"
actually means "no non-free firmware except the pre-installed one".

If that's the case, the system might satisfy the "no non-free drivers"
requirement, but it wouldn't really be "running 100% Free Software".

Of course the other firmware could be covered by the "etc.",
but considering the specifications listed on the same URL
that seems rather unlikely to me.

Fabian
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