Re: [Trisquel-users] New devices with RYF certificate
After nearly 20 years of using Thinkpads, I can hardly function with the crappy keyboards and touchpads that come with lesser laptops. I've tried using Chromebooks. The weight difference was negligible the build and hardware was wimpy, even compared to an X60. I missed my trackpoint and could barely do basic surfing with the touchpad. All of that is much less important than firmware freedom. Modern firmware is unacceptably hostile. Libreboot solves that problem.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Wikileaks how CIA is spying. every Operative System
I have a few thoughts for government intelligent agencies and people here too... IF you have to spy at all there should be some requirements: 1: You cannot spy on your own citizens without jumping through many hoops meaning if they are criminals or history of wrongdoing. 2: You cannot make software companies intentionally weaken security, you should increase your brain trust if you are that desperate so that everyone and their grandma cannot do the same. 3: No petty profiling or discrimination/prejudice as reasons for spying. 4: Do not try to restrict or change licenses on software that is free or even open source by using government power. 5: You Must make sure this information cannot be sold to other countries or corporations and you cannot enlist the help of corporations to do so because that lets them sell information. So to conclude this, I doubt anyone with any power will concede to these thoughts for a long time and I mean a very long time... but really any government that doesn't follow these guidelines might as well be called corrupt and arrogant.
[Trisquel-users] New devices with RYF certificate.
Three new devices are now certifed by FSF. First is Vikings X200, second is Vikings D16 Mainboard and third is Vikings USB Stereo Sound Adapter. https://status.fsf.org/notice/209047 https://store.vikings.net/libre-friendly-hardware/d16-ryf-certfied https://store.vikings.net/libre-friendly-hardware/x200-ryf-certfied https://store.vikings.net/libre-friendly-accessories/usb-sound-adapter-ryf-certified
Re: [Trisquel-users] Lenovo thinkapds(LibreBoot )buying guide
New shop which selling X200 with LibreBoot. https://store.vikings.net/libre-friendly-hardware/x200-ryf-certfied
Re: [Trisquel-users] AMD Is apparently taking requests for feedback from community.
I *can* understand your perspective, and am fully aware I'm naively optimistic in my thinking. However, I do still think there is reason to have hope for change. >If amd can do well without the libre software segment they probably will. In theory, this is a perfectly reasonable assumption. After all, as you say, both AMD and Intel have quite happily backdoored their CPUs for a little while now without their worlds imploding. However, although we may lack direct support for our ideology amongst the mainstream, accountability can still work in our favor. We've had at least one promising comment from an AMD representative in the AMA. Kudos to them for not taking the easy path of 'ignore and forget', but this now means we have some leverage in pursuing the matter with them. If we spam them with enough messages of support for freeing the code, there's hope we may be able to turn PR concerns to our advantage. >I think apple has done surveillance for a long time... I have not noticed millions of users turning away from either. Indeed, but that's not the core issue here. The point is that, even though software liberty is still a long way from a popular issue, Microsoft no longer have the leverage they had around the turn of the millennium. Although those who have filled the power void are hardly more ethical, OEMs are no longer servants of the company. They can sell "Linux" laptops nowadays- still not the improvement for which we fight, but a major step from what was possible in 2002. >I did not write that microsoft has a record of forcing cpu manufacturers. You know they have? I think that part was written in a way which read differently to what was intended- my bad! What I meant to say was, basically, that there's not as much opposition to the concept of free software (in the guise of open-sourceness, at least) amongst mainstream technology users and producers as there was in times gone by, as illustrated by the weakening control of OEMs (and presumably chipset manufacturers). I know Intel and Microsoft had been quite close for a large part of the latter's history- I don't know details though. >I find it likely that amd only wants to promote their hardware and have no intention of getting the software free They would indeed have promotion of their hardware as top priority, but (maybe I'm being naive here) wouldn't that be all the more reason to free the software? They likely don't have any strong intrinsic motivator to free it, but they also don't profit off it (unless the NSA is paying them...), so keeping it proprietary offers no great advantages. >I would rather find a smaller computer manufacturer. I would too, but there isn't one. Within the x86-ish architectures, there are 2 (3?) sources- the other one shows no signs of helping with our crusade for free CPUs, so AMD's the closest we have to an ally. Other architectures are more promising from a freedom perspective, but don't offer comparable power: ARM, MIPS, etc. are too low-power, and PowerPC/whatever else are far to expensive for mid-range users. I certainly think ARM is promising as the 'smaller computer manufacturer' for everyday computing- the first EOMA68 devices have already shown it to be within range of freeing- but there are still a number of use cases where something x86-ish is requires. Zen is looking reasonably promising, so (since it's as simple as firing off an e-mail) why not?
Re: [Trisquel-users] New blog post, please!
>Good, but irrelevant to Trisquel. I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you’re referring to as Trisquel, is in fact, Trisquillo-GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, Trisquillo-GNU plus Linux. Trisquel is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning Trisquillo-GNU system made useful by the Trisquillo-GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX. Many computer users run a modified version of the Trisquillo-GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of Trisquillo-GNU which is widely used today is often called “Trisquel”, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the Trisquillo-GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Wikileaks how CIA is spying. every Operative System
The shit the CIA did with their "not ipso facto immoral" tools is what matters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA#History I'm not saying Russia, China, or basically any government and powerful enough company are saints though. Speaking of France 'I've seen the subject twice I think), the abusive state of urgency wasn't mainly targeting terrorists. It's surfing on the fear created by the fucked up terrorist attacks and enforcing more and more mass surveillance on the inner territory. With the abuse that comes with that, which has very little to do with state security. So when you write that you're OK with spying foreigners, as long as Americans (US) are not, it makes me cringe. You know, maybe, just maybe, there might be good people in those "foreign menacing countries". But who cares, right? It's for your security (sure...). For better or worse, free software and a sound browsing attitude is for nearly everyone.
Re: [Trisquel-users] New blog post, please!
Good, but irrelevant to Trisquel.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Lenovo thinkapds(LibreBoot )buying guide
Exactly. I just wish it didn't load up that childish cartoon image by default. The Libreboot logo is clean and attractive, although I don't know how they've avoided being sued by John Deere yet.
Re: [Trisquel-users] New blog post, please!
No. RMS appropriately posted that only on his personal site, not on the FSF site, because it's irrelevant to software freedom. Mothers Against Drunk Driving doesn't care what your stance on taxes, climate, or abortion is, and rightly so. To get anything done in politics you have to assemble the widest possible coalition in support of the narrowest possible goal.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Wikileaks how CIA is spying. every Operative System
That's a very legitimate point. Wikileaks is looking more and more like an arm or tool of Russian intelligence. Has it EVER posted anything embarrassing to the Kremlin or damaging to Putin's interests? Instead it and Assange seem intensely motivated by animus against the mainstream, big Western democracies in general and the USA in particular. Spying is the job of a spy agency, and there could well be legitimate need to break into a criminal or terrorist's device, with a court order if he's American, and preparing the tools to do so is not ipso facto immoral. So I can't really blame the CIA for at least seeking the capability to crack security. Companies producing products that have more such flaws than would otherwise exist because of the inherent nature of proprietary software is a different issue. I'm also basically indifferent to US government spying on foreigners. What I'm most annoyed by is mass surveillance, warrantless metadata-gathering, etc., of Americans. To remove even the temptation of doing that, I've become more and more as strong supporter of strong crypto and fully free software for ordinary people. Even that would probably not keep the NSA or CIA out of an individual suspect's device or data should such agencies focus their immense resources on cracking an INDIVIDUAL target, and I'm fine with that since I'm no crypto-anarchist and with a warrant for probable cause I think it's appropriate to be able to do that. But with widespread strong crypto, mass surveillance, data dragnets, etc. become much more difficult if not impossible - reducing the ability helps reduce the temptation.
Re: [Trisquel-users] AMD Is apparently taking requests for feedback from community.
>have the power we need to win over AMD, provided everybody who cares even in the slightest for this puts in the time to make it known. I am not sure. If amd can do well without the libre software segment they probably will. That is what amd and intel have been doing. >The winds of change are blowing Rather not. I think apple has done surveillance for a long time. It appears microsoft is now catching up. I have not noticed millions of users turning away from either. >It's not clear any one company has the power to force chipmakers' arms anymore I did not write that microsoft has a record of forcing cpu manufacturers. You know they have? Does cpu manufacturers have no interest in having non free software on their cpus? I find it likely that amd only wants to promote their hardware and have no intention of getting the software free and open source. I would rather find a smaller computer manufacturer. One known to be in demand for better sales. Then a major campaign coordinated by all major free and open source parties, should get lunched. A campaign telling people to email the manufacturer, asking for a libre software computer. But if the manufacturer expects retaliations or cannot make a libre software computer due to licenses, it will not happen.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Talos' fund raiser didn't succeed
re '1 or 2 CPUs supported: both are AMD Opteron 6272 2.1GHz 16 cores per CPU (32 cores if selecting 2 CPUs)' 2.1GHz isn't especially fast but with 16 cores would that be like 2.1GHz X 16 = 33.6GHz? I guess it's like $2500 to $5000 USD. I don't imagine they can guarantee against MITD attacks during shipping. Aye! Always something to worry about.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Talos' fund raiser didn't succeed
yes, old news
Re: [Trisquel-users] Best use of Searx
IT dawned on me I might be wrong but I was too lazy to check. but yeah it is still a free software license. :) so no big deal.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Talos' fund raiser didn't succeed
wha? why? What is that supposed to... I don't even... meh... w/e still amusing. heh.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Free (as in freedom) drivers for GPUs GEFORCE 7300GT and AMD Radeon HD 4650
Wow, fast responses. Thank you.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Free (as in freedom) drivers for GPUs GEFORCE 7300GT and AMD Radeon HD 4650
http://hackaday.com/2013/03/18/hack-removes-firmware-crippling-from-nvidia-graphics-card/ http://www.insanitybit.com/2012/06/02/nvidia-fbi-backdoor-what-the-hell-5/ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742287615000559 https://www.extremetech.com/computing/205270-proof-of-concept-gpu-rootkit-hides-in-vram-snoops-system-activities https://arstechnica.com/security/2015/05/gpu-based-rootkit-and-keylogger-offer-superior-stealth-and-computing-power/
Re: [Trisquel-users] Free (as in freedom) drivers for GPUs GEFORCE 7300GT and AMD Radeon HD 4650
>As far as I understood, it can do *any* harm: PCI-connected devices can access the rest of the computer (the RAM, the disk, etc.). Exactly this.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Talos' fund raiser didn't succeed
https://minifree.org/product/libreboot-d16/
[Trisquel-users] Re : Free (as in freedom) drivers for GPUs GEFORCE 7300GT and AMD Radeon HD 4650
As far as I understood, it can do *any* harm: PCI-connected devices can access the rest of the computer (the RAM, the disk, etc.).
[Trisquel-users] Re : Wikileaks how CIA is spying. every Operative System
Trisquel is fully free. Even free software has (security) bugs. Developers can respect the essential freedoms of the users (by picking a free software license). They cannot promise to not commit any error, to be perfect. The same actually holds for governments: the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" for instance, does not say that "safety is the first right". There is no such right. That modern talk is bullshit. The governments should promise not to abuse their powers, to let the people ultimately decide (popular sovereignty), etc. They should never promise the people will be safe against any attack, forever. First of all, it is impossible to hold such a promise. Then, governments that do promise safery (there are more and more...) end up establishing police states where actual rights (unlike "safety") are violated: the rights to privacy, to free expression, to free association, etc. Anyway, the UEFI discussed here is below the OS. Not part of it.
[Trisquel-users] Re : Best use of Searx
AGPLv3: https://github.com/asciimoo/searx/blob/master/LICENSE
Re: [Trisquel-users] Free (as in freedom) drivers for GPUs GEFORCE 7300GT and AMD Radeon HD 4650
I am going to play devils advocate here, with a pinch of genuine ignorance. Drivers aside, principles aside, what actual harm can non free gpu firmware do? What's the difference than say the software on my calculator? Could it not just be considered some sort of "soft circuit"? I understand the security risks on ethernet, wifi or CPU, but what about GPU?
Re: [Trisquel-users] Wikileaks how CIA is spying. every Operative System
Because there aren’t fully free computer OS's. And Trisquel is not more free than others if it can be hacked! Simple as that.
Re: [Trisquel-users] Wikileaks how CIA is spying. every Operative System
Club Bilderberg
