100% Open Source Hardware & 100% Open Source Software
Does such a thing exist?
Software which is 100% OpenSource (I think trisquel qualifies for that.
Hardwhere which is 100% OpenSourceHardWare, where each and every component on the board is OpenSource, i.e. the cpu, gpu, hdd, ram, sound processor, ports, and all other chips and components on the board, along with the firmware and the drivers.
Software that is 100% opensource and 100% freesoftware also, like Trisquel.
Openhardware where each component is open does not exist. Nevertheless exists openhardware boards desings.
You're absolutely right, I'll update my original post.
EDIT:
Oh wait, I can't...
Novena is designed to be completely FOSS desktop(or laptop depending on how you set it up). If you would like to purchase one, as well as extra parts to add at will, they sell them here: https://www.crowdsupply.com/sutajio-kosagi/novena/crowdfunding
Looks like you have to buy an off the shelf ssd/hdd to get this to work. Doesn't that through open source, fsf, out the window. If the ssd/hdd firmware is closed source and the ssd/hdd hardware is closed source, what's the point of buying a computer where the rest of it is open/freedom respecting?
there is quite a lot of old hardware like the Zilog Z80
which you can fined huge amounts of documentation for to understand how it works.
but as far as a 100% free software and free hardware machine
I don’t think there are any powerful ones yet.
Would be nice if someone made it happen.
We need a Free Hardware Foundation.
Well, this a fantastic idea!
Yes! we should free up hardware! Just like the Free Software Foundation does with software!
We first need a definition of "free hardware". If it simply is hardware that can run at its full potential with free software (drivers and firmware) only, then the FSF qualifies.
When I think free hardware I think:
1. Hardware which has all it's schematics made available so the hardware can easily be reproduced by whoever has the resources to reproduce the hardware simply by following the schematics
2. Hardware which is not restricted with some form of license, i.e. you should be able to do whatever you want to do with it
3. The code for the firmware for this hardware should also be available so the user can add, remove, update it anyway they wish
Did I miss anything?
- I agree and so does rms: http://www.wired.com/2015/03/need-free-digital-hardware-designs/
- Besides the license to drive a car, carry a gun, etc. (and I am all in favor of them!), I am not aware of any license on hardware.
- Indeed: that is what I wrote in my previous message.
There have been a number of attempts to set up an "open hardware" organisation, most of which are now defunct. It clearly doesn't work to set up a website and a mailing list for an "Open Hardware Foundation", write a manifesto and a license, and then just sit back and wait for a movement to appear out of thin air. You have to actually *do* something practical as well. The reason the FSF has been so strong (IMHO) is that it is closely associated with the practical GNU Project.
Case in point, of the various "open hardware" organisations, the one that still seems active is the Open Source HardWare Association (OSHWA), which puts on an Open Hardware Summit every year:
http://www.oshwa.org/about/
If there was going to be a "free hardware" working group, whether as a stand-alone organisation or as a project within the FSF, it would need to either organise a regular gathering of people working on/ interested in free spec hardware designs, or run a GNU type project, with a spec respository like Savannah, to replace every proprietary component in a standard PC with a libre alternative.
In answer to your points:
1) There are a few projects working on this including:
* http://opencores.org/
* CERN Open Hardware Repository - http://www.ohwr.org/
* http://www.openhardware.net/ - more of a one-person hobby site than a collaborative site, but with various practical projects documented
* http://www.balloonboard.org/
* Sensorica.co - development of sensors and various other hardware
2) There are a number of licenses in use, modelled on libre software licenses, including:
* CERN open hardware license (http://www.ohwr.org/projects/cernohl/wiki): used by most projects in the Open Hardware Repository
* TAPR open hardware license (http://www.tapr.org/ohl.html): used by the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) group
* Balloon open hardware license (http://www.balloonboard.org/OpenHardwareLicense): used by the BalloonBoard project
3) see 1)
I've made a brief attempts to document the growth of this field here, but today is the first time it's been updated in a few years:
http://www.coactivate.org/projects/disintermedia/open-hardware
Good stuff! And we sorely need free hardware to run our free software on. I think now would be an excellent time for smart people to get active in this field to make sure good initial choices are made and frameworks set up.
I am a translator!
good post indeed. +1
I am a translator!
good post indeed. +1
Good stuff! And we sorely need it. We need hardware to run our free software
one. I think now would be an excellent time for smart people to get active in
this field to make sure good initial choices are made and frameworks set up.
There have been a number of attempts to set up an "open hardware"
organisation, most of which are now defunct. It clearly doesn't work to Set
up a website and a mailing list for an "Open Hardware Foundation", writing a
manifesto and a license, and then just sit back and wait for a movement to
appear out of thin air. You have to actually *do* something practical as
well. The reason the FSF has been so strong (IMHO) is that it is closely
associated with the practical GNU Project.
Case in point, of the various "open hardware" organisations, the one that
still seems active is the Open Source HardWare Association (OSHWA), which
puts on an Open Hardware Summit every year:
http://www.oshwa.org/about/
If there was going to be a "free hardware" working group, whether as a
stand-alone organisation or as a project within the FSF, it would need to
either organise a regular gathering of people working on/ interested in free
spec hardware designs, or run a GNU type project, with a spec respository
like Savannah, to replace every proprietary component in a standard PC with a
libre alternative.
In answer to your points:
1) There are a few projects working on this including:
* http://opencores.org/
* CERN Open Hardware Repository - http://www.ohwr.org/
* http://www.openhardware.net/ - more of a one-person hobby site than a
collaborative site, but with various practical projects documented
* http://www.balloonboard.org/
* Sensorica.co - development of sensors and various other hardware
2) There are a number of licenses in use, modelled on libre software
licenses, including:
* CERN open hardware license (http://www.ohwr.org/projects/cernohl/wiki):
used by most projects in the Open Hardware Repository
* TAPR open hardware license (http://www.tapr.org/ohl.html): used by the
Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) group
* Balloon open hardware license
(http://www.balloonboard.org/OpenHardwareLicense): used by the BalloonBoard
project
3) see 1)
I've made a brief attempts to document the growth of this field here, but
today is the first time it's been updated in a few years:
http://www.coactivate.org/projects/disintermedia/open-hardware
I personally think that the FSF qualifies too.
Instead of getting the free software community split once again, perhaps
this could be one of the projects of it (preferably announced in the
most visible sites of the free software community).
Also, hackers should get together in hackerspaces around the world and
develop something to the effect as to [maybe] be the first free hardware
design ever made. This of course has to be well thought, both in terms
of who will be able to participate (if it'll be a worldwide effort or
just a separated effort by a local hackerspace) and how the project
should evolve (documentation, standards to follow, etc.).
Recently, I have seen some hackerspaces emerging here in Brazil,
although their projects don't seen to be integrated with the projects of
other hackerspaces, and there are lots of these which are involve the
creation of software, which hardly gets to be known by the free software
community worldwide (let alone get a chance to at least be sent to be
reviewed for approval in the Free Software Directory). So far I have a
plain text todo list of software projects that I must send for review
(just the name and the projects URI, no other detais). Someday I plan on
finding a common place to put the raw list so that other free software
supporter or activist can contribute.
Anyway, there's at least one hackerspace called Dumont Hackerspace which
seens to be a joint effort of various existing hackerspaces. However, I
couldn't find the hackerspace's URI address, just an entry in the
HackerspaceWiki[1].
I'm not the right person when it comes to specific hardware details,
designs, or repairs (I can barely read the small letters printed on the
circuit boards), and also, I'm not member of any hackerspace (I'm a lone
member of a student group about free software, but I hardly have the
time to plan projects for it, let alone recruit people which, although I
have tried so using every graphics design skill I have, is even more
difficult considering the fact that the college I attend is private,
where most students just want to get their grades and forget about
researches).
REFERENCES
>> So far I have a plain text todo list of software projects that I must send for review (just the name and the projects URI, no other detais). <<
The SFD is a collaborative wiki project, like Wikipedia. If you want to be involved, feel free to set up an account, and start submitting entries:
http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Free_Software_Directory:Participatejoin the mailing list:
>> Someday I plan on finding a common place to put the raw list so that other free software supporter or activist can contribute. <<
You could send it to the FSD mailing list:
https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/directory-discuss
... or put it somewhere on the P2P Foundation wiki:
http://p2pfoundation.net/Free_Software
>> So far I have a plain text todo list of software projects that I must send
for review (just the name and the projects URI, no other detais). > Someday I
plan on finding a common place to put the raw list so that other free
software supporter or activist can contribute.
That's a great idea! FHF.
I am a translator!
>We need a Free Hardware Foundation.
yep. We have tons of excellent free software. It is time to shift the focus on hardware.
Many people seem to disagree (GIMP vs Photoshop for instance)…
GIMP is good software that definitely dose the job well
I think running a computer made of fully free hardware would be more important than making GIMP have as many features as photo shop
but we can do both.
Another example is mathematical software: Sage is lacking in features when compared to its proprietary counterparts. It is now being commercialized (while remaining free software) and I hope it succeeds.
I am a translator!
GIMP is a bomb. In fact it is better than Photoshop. And this doesn't come only from me but from a friend of mine that actually works as a pro photographer and always says that with GIMP, if you have the skills, you can do anything.. Funny thing he is not even a free software fellow. In fact he uses GIMP on Winblobs.
Exactly, Free software isn't just great for freedom it is actually just genuinely great software. Krita for instance is astoundingly good, it is amazing that it is free software.
Lot of free software is technically bad. How does it get better? I found this article very insightful
https://mako.cc/writing/hill-when_free_software_isnt_better.html
And sure, there's plenty of excellent free software as well but the important bit is it is free.
"Lot of free software is technically bad. How does it get better?"
if think one of the current problems if the lack of public knowledge of free software programs if many pepole knew about free software crowd funding the programs that are needed or are needed to be improved would be much easier.
How is this? http://opencores.org/ .
The OLinuXino project (unfortunately said open source) but you will learn TONS of useful information with it not only software but also hardware.
https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/open-source-hardware
So is absolutely every component on OLinxXino boards OSHW, or more accurately "freedom" respecting hardware?
yes all the software (source code) and the hardware (cad file) are available
but like I said the project is on the path of "open source" not libre/free hardware/software
software source
https://github.com/OLIMEX/OLINUXINO/tree/master/SOFTWARE
hardware cad
You sure? No blobs etc?
Firmware issues?
I was not aware that a 100% libre (both software and hardware) computer exists.
Why does it not the RYF award from FSF?
Why is it not the number 1 recommended pc in the free software world?
This mentions issues with a OLinuXino board. (GPU, VPU, wifi)
yes. there is a community interest company plodding away, who have
designed a new user friendly modular computer card standard EOMA-68 and
designing devices and making them. I cant wait for the crowdfund to
getting them rolling off the production line!
subscribe to the mailing list for updates and go on, say that you want
pre-order or help sponsor the laptop, micro desktop box/board, portable
games console, tablet, etc! :D
http://lists.phcomp.co.uk/pipermail/arm-netbook/
follow the links on the home page like:
http://rhombus-tech.net/why/
http://rhombus-tech.net/how/
http://rhombus-tech.net/what/
take last month and spilling over in to this month, theres been updates
regarding the laptop:
http://rhombus-tech.net/community_ideas/laptop_15in/news/
http://lists.phcomp.co.uk/pipermail/arm-netbook/2015-December/thread.html
see a list of everything on the sitemap:
http://rhombus-tech.net/sitemap/
time and time again people bring up future copyleft and/or FLOSS
friendly hardware question and I’ve mentioned in the past this project,
i hope this time you pick up, take up, promote and put your money where
your desire is, for a free laptop, box,etc.
luke is plodding away at this makes tons of progress despite little
resources. Ive followed the project from near the beginning and i have
decided that im confidant the luke will deliver.
Contribute too:
Get an account on the wiki to:
*add your product ideas to http://rhombus-tech.net/community_ideas/
*maybe even help pretty up/modernize the website :).
*Art work, Logo, Graphics, Video, Animation -really needed!-
*hardware and software, ask on the mailing list for things to do.
Also:
*_Promote!_
*Sponsor a device. The Laptop is sponsored, how about sponsoring the
continuation of the tablets development? Personally i really want the
tablet (as well as the laptop) :D,
oow look, lots of pre-order thingys for the a20 computer card:
http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/orders/
ps. infact olimex got a lot of there beginnings,info from the
rhombus-tech project. I think it was on there mailing list that a lot of
the allwinner stuff started.
Looks like you have to buy an off the shelf ssd/hdd to get this to work. Doesn't that through open source, fsf, out the window. If the ssd/hdd firmware is closed source and the ssd/hdd hardware is closed source, what's the point of buying a computer where the rest of it is open/freedom respecting?