Agree 100%. Free software, firmware and even plugin free hardware modules (over a range of free connection protocols) is essential in the age of the web.
Freedom 0 - the ability to use the thing the way __I__ want to use it. Why? Because it's only a thing, and I'm a person. That thing I use should not be an agent of another entity, a remote, "invisible" army-man-like device working/fighting tirelessly against me, gathering data on me, to be used for God only knows what purposes. It should be my trustworthy tool, nothing more. It should be in my arsenal, not in another's. Free software is absolutely essential to free media in an age where media flows through the web. And free media is absolutely essential to free thought. And free thought is absolutely essential for the opportunity to have a free society. It is not a trifle we're facing with non-free software in the age of the web. It's a battle of such scope that if we lose, it will mean the elimination of everything we've striven for as a society since the adoption of writing. Best regards, Rick C. Hodgin -------- Original Message -------- From: ch...@thinkpenguin.com Sent: Tue, Jun 5, 2012 11:38 PM To: trisquel-users@listas.trisquel.info CC: Subject: Re: [Trisquel-users] A good place to buy a Linux-libre Laptop in the UK >I actually have more 'extreme' views than RMS in regards to what should be >free. > >:) > >However his patience certaintly trumps mine. > >The BIOS should be free. If it can be changed we should be able to fix >it/update it/improve upon it/etc. Simply moving to a read only BIOS seems >wrong even if it solves the probably 'technically'. > >The writing is non-trival although so is the porting proccess. > >There are some good reasons for installing an alternative BIOS even if it >isn't something one would update regularly. For instance there are some >features one might want to impliment or use that aren't otherwise available. > >I can think of some good examples. If I want to connect my computer to a >network and control it remotely I may not be able to do that with the >firmware released by a motherboard manufacturer. > >However I should be able to add such features in. Then I could turn the >computer on/off remotely, restart it, etc. These features actually exist I >believe in the fre BIOS project's BIOS. There is a non-free BIOS with similar >features too. > > > > >
