FSF High Priority Projects

Keneda

@prog-amateur
Even pinephone is not full open source (hardware), so maybe FSF will not like this...

https://www.pine64.org/2020/01/24/setting-the-record-straight-pinephone-misconceptions/

"LTE modem is a black box"

dobey

If they won't even list Debian and Ubuntu on https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.en.html I'm pretty sure we won't be seeing Ubuntu Touch listed either.

Given recent events and the dwindling relevance of the FSF over the last decade or more, I'd say we should just steer clear of anything involving the FSF, and if we want to get involved with a similar organization, to look at working with https://sfconservancy.org instead.

Keneda

@dobey
The purpose of FSF is to promote FULL libre software, so i understand why that doesn't include Ubuntu (desktop).

That's not a up to FSF to include companies that produce non full libre software, that's up to non full libre software to get rid of closed source software if they want to be included in FSF promoted software.

Now Ubuntu Touch is not Ubuntu desktop, so i assume the closed source software included in the first, is not necesserally present in the second.

PhoenixLandPirat

@keneda said in FSF High Priority Projects:

Now Ubuntu Touch is not Ubuntu desktop, so i assume the closed source software included in the first, is not necesserally present in the second.

The main point is drivers, and ubuntu touch cannot work 100% on many if on any mobile device, without closed source software.

Keneda

@phoenixlandpirat said in FSF High Priority Projects:

The main point is drivers

Technically, that's the android device linux kernel that contains those blobs, not uTouch, no?

If Pure OS can be FSF compliant (is it on librem 5?), maybe uTouch can be too (on Librem 5)?

flohack

@keneda no the kernel does not contain blobs, its the Android system image that we start in an lxc container.

Well you would need probably to go through a certification process with them, but they 100% find one important package that has the wrong license

As Rodney said, FSF is something that has no practical relevance for many users, they are pragmatic and want to get around with their workloads, and application cases. We also will not invest work ATM into getting rid of such blockers the FSF might find.

dobey

@keneda Ubuntu Touch still requires binary blobs to work, whether that's on Android devices, or ones that work on mainline. One of the core FSF complaints about Debian/Ubuntu is the use of linux-firmware which includes these redistributable firmware blobs which are necessary for the operation of certain hardware, and which the kernel loads into the hardware during initialization.

dobey

@keneda I guess that PureOS is "compliant" if they don't include the linux-firmware package by default, but the phone hardware itself wouldn't comply, because of the modem. AFAIK, the Bluetooth/WiFi support in Librem 5 is also a bit lacking because Purism want to only use BT/WiFi in their systems, which doesn't require binary firmware blob, which the newer Atheros chips that support newer Bluetooth and WiFi versions, do.