Chris and Magic, On Stallman, I respectfully disagree with some of what you say.
If I am using incorrect terms re: open hardware, I apologize for that. What I'd like to find is hardware that is the most free, clean, known, i.e., known what is inside, whatever...and it needs to be available for purchase, not discontinued.
This recent speech (link below) [Did you watch it? Even if you heard it in person earlier this year you might want to refresh your memory.], beginning at the 5 minute mark and continuing for the rest of the clip is about worsening hardware issues. http://files.jxself.org/rms1.ogv
Since I don't have a history with this, I can only listen to his words and voice. Seems clear to me that hardware is an increasing challenge to the concept of free software. More so of late.
Magic, "Therefore, rms does not bother to consider this problem that has not arisen." What? His words, this 10+ minutes of his speech, say otherwise.
Chris, "His concern is the source code to all writable areas containing binary code be available." Yes, agree.
"10 years ago there was significantly fewer chipsets dependent on non-free firmware. Keyboards wireless devices, CPUs, etc didn't include little bits of code. Now they do." Also yes, agree.
He continues to favor his Lemote. Apparently that computer is cleaner or freer than other options even now. He satisfyingly held it in his hand. I will look more into the details of that, just so I can know what the apparent standard is.
Chris, I can empathize with your "every time" you find what appears to be a decent board there is a "major issue". Can't give up man. These things are tough. It doesn't matter if all those boards didn't work out. It does not mean new ones cannot work. Rightly the odds are not good, but that's no reason to give into even rightful hopelessness. Perhaps also your standards are higher than mine, or at least, different. I too would like a really good option that covers all the bases and has no major issues. However I would be happy with having something that is fully free, even if it were a little clunky or slow, but that's me. I believe (for some reason that I really do not understand) that it is important for me to have and use that type of system. Existing or living with it means, "it's here." It's alive so to speak. It's an idea that lives. I don't want the idea to be a unicorn that I am chasing after (not saying you see it that way, simply my view). My effort now is to lead to such a machine that I can purchase or build and use...by next September.
Did a very little research on the lemote and more on pluggable computers. Nothing bigger to report today.
