I've been mentioning this, discretely, on this forum. But, after having
finally expressed my concern more directly, on another thread
(https://trisquel.info/en/forum/some-current-free-software-friendly-hardware#comment-42809)
I just thought it was something important enough to make a thread of its own.
Since this is the Free Software community, that I know of, that is most
worried about privacy and security, I thought this would be the best place to
discuss this.
So, the following, is a "copy-pasted" dialogue that led me to such a question
(also posted, at the end of such dialogue) that I consider to be one of great
importance. (And, even one about which I would like to hear, someday, what
RMS has to say...)
=== start of dialogue ===
# 19 September, 2013 - 23:06 - Magic Banana:
Stallman's position on free hardware looks clear to me. As far as I
understand, he considers that, today, the freedoms defining "free software"
cannot be applied to hardware because no individual can build her own
hardware; even less copy some existing hardware. The fact is: we all depend
on mass-produced hardware. This will remain so for years or, more probably,
decades. Therefore, rms does not bother to consider this problem that has not
arisen. When and if it arises, it ought to be understood and solved with the
technology that will be then available.
Now, rms cares about "free software" up to the drivers and firmware. That is
why he cares about "documented hardware". The documentation is self contained
in free drivers/firmware if the manufacturer provides them. Otherwise, the
free software must be able to develop those and documentation helps a lot. If
no documentation is available, the free software community has to rely on
tedious reverse-engineering (a great contribution to achieve). Whatever the
way the free drivers/firmware are obtained, the hardware is then, according
to rms, freedom respecting: anybody can use it running only free software.
# 20 September, 2013 - 01:37 - Chris:
You have his perspective perfectly stated.
# 20 September, 2013 - 17:18 - Fernando_Negro:
"Whatever the way the free drivers/firmware are obtained, the hardware is
then, according to rms, freedom respecting"
But, isn't there a (constant) concern, among Free Software adepts, with
security and privacy, also?
I mean, isn't that something that is implied in the concept of Free Software,
itself? (The need for security and privacy, that can only be obtained with
free and "open source" software?)
If so, you have to take into account the existence of "hardware trojans" that
can be possibly embedded into motherboards and microchips. (And, one way to
counter that would be the idea of documented/"free" hardware.)
I mean, shouldn't we take the concepts inherent to, and that are behind the
idea of, Free Software, and apply them also to the hardware?
(the following is the concern I'm talking about:)
"'Elbit' flash memory chips, allegedly designed at Kir Yat-Gat south of Tel
Aviv. The unique feature of the Elbit chips was that they worked on ambient
electricity in a computer. In other words, they worked when the computer was
turned off. When combined with another newly developed chip, the 'Petrie,'
which was capable of storing up to six months worth of key strokes, it was
now possible to burst transmit all of a computer's activity in the middle of
the night to a nearby receiver - say in a passing truck or even a low flying
SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) satellite."
--- http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/pandora/052401_promis.html
"CELL PHONE (FBI can listen to you when phone is turned off)":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G1fNjK9SXg
=== end of dialogue ===
P.S. - When I talk about "free hardware", I'm talking about the concept
discussed here:
https://trisquel.info/en/forum/open-source-hardware-free-hardware-foundation#comment-42500
