could I install trisquel on a thinkpad with intel i5 processor?
Hello everybody!
I ask this because when I do the Dowload of the Iso image always came down as a amd64.iso.
Thanks to all the forum
Yes You can. But you have problem with WiFi.
I am a member!
Installing Trisquel shouldn't be a problem, but there are some important freedom issues you need to consider/take care of:
1. The BIOS is not free yet. The coreboot community is making progress, but it's not there yet. For now, you better use one of the readily available libreboot-supported laptops. Tehnoetic sells 4 different laptop models preinstalled with libreboot and GNU/Linux-libre: https://tehnoetic.com/laptops
2. As previously noted by a forum member, the original WiFi doesn't work with free drivers/firmware. The solution is to install a different WiFi card, like this top of the class 450Mbps Dual Band 2.4/5GHz WiFi mPCIe card: https://tehnoetic.com/tet-n450db (If the BIOS rejects the WiFi card, there is a simple workaround: cover with duct tape its 20th pin before inserting it in one of the mPCIe ports; for customer's convenience, Tehnoetic covers that pin with duct tape by default; libreboot users can simply remove the duct tape).
2' If you prefer not opening up the laptop (the keyboard and the palm rest need to be unscrewed and removed to be able to reach the mPCIe ports - and it's easy to do so), you can use external WiFi USB adapters compatible with fully free systems, like these ones: https://tehnoetic.com/adapters Frankly, I prefer the permanent solution and that's the WiFi card on mPCIe
3. The original Bluetooth (3.1 or 4.0) might not work with free software. This can be fixed by removing the Bluetooth module at the bottom of the screen and by using this wide-range (50-100m) Bluetooth 4.0 USB adapter https://tehnoetic.com/tet-bt4 (which can also be installed internally on a mPCIe port using a mPCIe to USB adapter like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-PCI-E-Card-Slot-Expansion-to-USB-2-0-Interface-Adapter-Riser-Card-CC-/161846284497 )
4. This is more of a privacy problem: if the laptop has a WAN card (you can check this with the `lspci' command), it's better to remove it because you can be tracked even if you don't use a SIM card to register in a mobile network.
Oh My God! I don't have problems with disassembly laptops, that is one thing which I do as a hobby to gain some extra money. But I think I made a mistake here - so may parts to change, it will not be the same laptopt after that! Because the other day I saw in the libreboot site that they had lenovo thinkpad x200 with libreeboot, I tocked a chance and bought this one from one of my hobby-job client. I screw it up, I think. I tocked as granted that I would install Trisquel easily on this machine, and change from my sweet old emachines to this new one! Well, what are my options:
-> install other linux distro, with non-free software (mint, ubuntu-mate?);
-> resell this laptop again.
I don't know yet, because I like this new machine (has an excellent battery life!), and above all is Lightweight and easy to carry. On the other side, and because I am a little of a penny pincher, I bought it from a good price, so at least I won't lose money, I am sure of that. The truth is that I don't know yet.
Specs of my new laptop : http://www.notebookreview.com/notebookreview/lenovo-thinkpad-x220-review/
Is so beauty ain't is?
I am a member!
I strongly believe it's better to replace it with another cheap second-hand laptop, the X200, because with some fun time spent hacking you can install libreboot on it (following the instructions at https://libreboot.org/docs/install/x200_external.html) and with the money left from selling the X220, you can buy WiFi/Bluetooth compatible with free software and replace the original ones. If you decide to keep the X220, I recommend you still replace the WiFi/Bluetooth. And at least install coreboot (which has nonfree blobs, including the infamous AMT/ME, but also has free bits, which is better than the original nonfree BIOS).
I believe that from time to time someone has to remind me about that war free vs non-free. I am not a fanatic, that I am sure. The other day just because I write linux and not Gnu/linux, my God, all the hell broke lose here in the forum...
But I like free software and freedom to, just don't believe I have to be so extreme.
So I guess my option will be install Ubuntu on that laptop (I'm looking eager to using it!) and use this one with Trisquel.
What could be wrong in using non-free wifi - it's a serious question!
many thanks
Any user deserves control on her computing. Free software (including firmware) gives four fundamental that, we believe, are necessary conditions to control one's own computing.
If you are actually wondering of malware that can be implemented in a Wifi firmware, the answer is "any malware": any PCI device has access to all other peripherals (the RAM, the disk, etc.). Even Ubuntu's funder write:
If you read the catalogue of spy tools and digital weaponry provided to us by Edward Snowden, you’ll see that firmware on your device is the NSA’s best friend. Your biggest mistake might be to assume that the NSA is the only institution abusing this position of trust – in fact, it’s reasonable to assume that all firmware is a cesspool of insecurity courtesy of incompetence of the worst degree from manufacturers, and competence of the highest degree from a very wide range of such agencies.
http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/1332
Yet, Ubuntu includes proprietary firmware...
If I do not sell the laptop again I'll install debian. That's the least I can do... for me. But I have a second line of defense, just in case: I always encrypt my sensible information, if the OS is free (as in freedom) or not, so I am secure in some way. Do you know if there are plans in the future so that Trisquel could be used in this laptop ( lenovo thinkpad i5 )?
Many thanks
Encryption won't do much against spyware which is running ON your system.
As you yourself can do nothing useful with encrypted data, until you decrypt them, data on your system can stay usefully encrypted only while at rest.
And if a piece of code running on your system is able (yes, it can be) to intercept your typing while you input your decryption passphrase, then all of your encryption based "security" is gone.
Not to mention, that if the same piece of code running on your system is able to control your RAM (again, it can be), then it doesn't even need to steal your passphrase, because RAM is where many of your unencrypted data are stored while in use by the system.
Not to mention another possible case in which a malicious software has access to what gets spit out to your screen.. you can easily imagine what good encryption can do in such a scenario..
I'm not writing this to scare you, but to warn you. Don't assume your data are secured, just because they are encrypted. The whole system using those data needs to be secure.
And there's no security in an obscure or obfuscated system. And that's what proprietary software brings to your system: obscurity and obfuscation of the operations manipulating YOUR data.
I am a translator!
>Encryption won't do much against spyware which is running ON your system.
Exactly. Encrypting data is only useful while that data is at rest, that is to say, while the laptop is turned off.
->I'm not writing this to scare you, but to warn you.
I am! But that is the type of scare I don't mind to receive, as long as I learn something meaningful.
Thanks for the real information you gave
Firstly, as noted above, be aware that encrypted data is only safe whilst not in use. It's not something to be paranoid about if you don't have state secrets- you're already 100 times safer than most people- but it is still a good idea to not leave your laptop unattended and to aim to get a free software processor. As mentioned, the X200 with Libreboot would be a good idea, and (in the future) an EOMA68-compatible laptop housing/tablet case with something like the Libre Tea computer card could do an equally good (if not better) job.
Secondly, and more interestingly, about Trisquel support for the Thinkpad i5. The thing is that Trisquel doesn't support any particular computer, but rather individual components. Your i5 processor will work, although (as mentioned above) it uses proprietary firmware, which (and I got caught out too) is more and less dangerous than proprietary operating systems. Most other components should work fine, but the biggest problem is with Wi-Fi cards. Unless you got really lucky, Wi-Fi probably won't work. That gives you 3 choices:
1. Live without it. Probably not practical, but you might be able/willing to just use ethernet or stay off the internet. Please don't leave us though <img src="sad.jpg">.
2. Get freedom-compatible Wi-Fi. Both Tehnoetic and ThinkPenguin (URLs are tehnoetic.com and thinkpenguin.com) sell both Wi-Fi cards you can put inside your computer and USB Wi-Fi adapters, which are as simple as flash drives to use. They aren't too expensive regardless of type or store, so I'd look into them.
3. Compromise on freedom. Debian GNU/Linux without the non-free and contrib repos will tell you what drivers you need, which you then just download and install like other packages. Alternatively, you could always replace Trisquel's kernel with a vanilla one, using another PC to download and copy over necessary files/packages to build it. I don't recommend either of these, for millions of reasons, but I understand that it may be only option available (and have been forced to do it before <img src="guilty.jpg">).