Simple Trisquel Alternative for AMD
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Hi Everyone,
Can I have some suggestions for a very simple, easy to use, relatively uncompromised & freedom respecting linux alternative to Trisquel even if its not FSF endorsed.
Reason being I have a laptop with an AMD processor which, with Trisquel, runs super hot (I've burnt out one transformer already) + the graphics/screen is elongated, so its not very workable.
While I'd prefer Trisquel, having checked briefly on the forums it seems this is an issue with any AMD computer. I've tried to upload jxself's kernel but it makes no difference to the visuals & running very hot. I can't keep burning out transformers & looking at an elongated screen.
I tried Linux Mint, but didn't like it very much. I'd also like the ability to delete metadata in photos/jpegs which Linux Mint didn't appear to offer.
I just need a simple system for this computer that's relatively hassle free & not too dissimilar to Trisquel.
Thanks in advance for any advice & suggestions.
** Would be very helpful if there was a Trisquel page detailing which computers/processors it worked with so newbies like me would know what to buy if ever upgrading etc.
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The solution is to sell your hardware and buy better hardware (freedom wise).
The non-solution, and I give you only the information, is you install Debian and the one package that it needs to run your crappy GPU properly, only such firmware is very very proprietary, and it could, potentially, burn your house and kill your cats.
saludos o/
Thank you Supertramp83 for your illuminating reply & bad-ass humour. What an honour to be answered by Dick Stallman.
Not sure if Debian is too complex for an ignoramus like me.
However, a Trisquel page detailing what hardware works would be invaluable - so I guess you're the man to get that happening - given your concern with crappy hardware. Well done Supertramp born in 83!
HEY EVERYONE - SUPERTRAMP83 IS CREATING A MUCH NEEDED PAGE DETAILING WHAT HARDWARE WORKS WITH TRISQUEL!!! WHAT A SELFLESS COOL DUDE!!!
I can't really sell & re-buy right now, not being a super-rich, super-tramp crime of the crappy century type of guy + I first need to see this page you'll be creating to know what to buy . . . . .
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>Not sure if Debian is too complex for an ignoramus like me.
Debian being complex is a myth, I'm sure you will learn your way in no time.
>However, a Trisquel page detailing what hardware works would be invaluable - so I guess you're the man to get that happening - given your concern with crappy hardware. Well done Supertramp born in 83!
HEY EVERYONE - SUPERTRAMP83 IS CREATING A MUCH NEEDED PAGE DETAILING WHAT HARDWARE WORKS WITH TRISQUEL!!! WHAT A SELFLESS COOL DUDE!!!
Hmm, there is already one -> https://h-node.org/
Thanks for 'cool', I try hard.
>not being a super-rich
Well, I am an europoor, I can relate.
>I first need to see this page you'll be creating to know what to buy . . . . .
h-node!
saludos o/
I always suggest that victims of awkwardly designed hardware should try to sell their computers. Yet very few if any users are willing to replace their current computers with the ones that respect users' freedom. They tend to try to install non-free firmware instead.
I recently sold one Skylake ultrabook to grey market. The reason is that its video card, sound card and wireless adapter require non-free firmware to function. And because of Boot Guard, I can't possibly replace the firmware in order to unlock the WLAN adapter restriction. Luckily, I still received 60% of its original price.
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>Yet very few if any users are willing to replace their current computers with the ones that respect users' freedom. They tend to try to install non-free firmware instead.
hO_Omanz.. Very true indeed. They prefer waht they already have although shitty, and that applies not only to PCs..
Trisquel 8 very well (perfectly?) supports Skylake's integrated graphics, I believe. At least, it does with the next generation of Intel processors (what I have), Kaby Lake. With Trisquel 7's X server, I used to have some graphics scrambled, in some applications.
And you can plug a USB adapter for Wifi (also what I do).
Any other suggestions for an installation a bit simpler than Debian anybody ??
You can install nearly any major distro, restrict it to only free software sources, and then compile your own libre kernels. It's basically the same as what supertramp is doing with Debian, although he probably gets access to a pre-compiled libre kernel. I did that with openSUSE Tumbleweed recently, I left instructions on the main forum, search "opensuse" if you are interested. But you could easily do the same with Debian or Ubuntu or whatnot. Might be worth a try. I'll bet libre-Debian or libre-buntu or libre-Suse might give you some different experiences with the AMD chip.
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Have you tried doing what is suggested online, e.g. here?
> Would be very helpful if there was a Trisquel page detailing which computers/processors it worked with
h-node is a database of hardware compatibility with free software.
https://h-node.org/notebooks/catalogue/en
Laptops with an 'A' rating should work well with any free distro, including Trisquel.
@ Calm Storm: Yes, Minifree sounds good, & he/she does a 14" & will find a 15" - I don't have the money to spare for that right now, but will definately consider when my current piece of crap gives up :-)
@ Aloniv: Yes, I will look that up - thank you.
@ Chaosmonk: Thanks for the directory for hardware that works.
@ Supertramp83: Looks like there's a hardware page already (!) but I guess you knew that + looks like I'll have to try & get my head around your solution with Debby-Ann for now - so thank you for the relevant advice :-)
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>Looks like there's a hardware page already
yeah.. teh h-node..
>but I guess you knew that
of course I did, I am cool..
>ooks like I'll have to try & get my head around your solution with Debby-Ann for now - so thank you for the relevant advice :-)
Beware though, once you go Debian you never go back..
yw o/
@ andyprough: Thanks for the info.
@ Dick Stallman poorly disguising himself as 'Supertramp 83'
Re: 'of course I did, I am cool'. Richard, we ALL think you are cool & love you dearly, you don't have to hide behind that big gun & false persona any more. However Dick, if you were born in 83, I have to say your chassis [hardware] looks in terrible condition for your age.
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>Richard, we ALL think you are cool & love you dearly, you don't have to hide behind that big gun & false persona any more. However Dick, if you were born in 83, I have to say your chassis [hardware] looks in terrible condition for your age.
But.. I really don't know why you keep calling me Dick. I am Stallaman, teh bringer of freedoom..I was born in '53, or as I've recently taken to calling it in 'the year 0 of freedoom'. I love you too.
It is a wise choice to previously research the viability of installing a free gnu/linux distro in a giving machine.
Sometimes it's just not possible. But having half freedom is still better than having none.
Debian is the best choice for you.
Cheers.
i had no idea that the amd gpu would do so poorly with trisquel. i dual-booted debian on an amd once (i didnt enable non-free repos, and i generally dont) and i was very impressed at how useless it was. i didnt bother trying non-free after that, but i assumed the problem was specific to that model.
"how do i remove this?" my friend wanted to know. how i got debian onto the laptop of someone with a windows phone-- it took some doing.
i eventually stopped researching the viability of installing and instead just boot live (and buy cheap machines, and take my chances, and try to meet people who will let me try to boot live before i buy. which has worked well.) but these days it is necessary to revisit the "which hardware?" question, as i am quickly learning on this forum. not that i like intel or anything. i disliked them long before i got here. i used to hope amd would be different, but theyve never proven to be. at least we know what it stands for: "a meagre device."
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Unfortunately AMD made it so their GPU without their proprietary firmware is a complete mess, utterly useless, well... besides warming your entire home in winter and transforming it in a sauna in summer.. terrible GPUs, avoid like plague.
I remember writing the mail to Sue, teh boss, along with millions (I would hope so) requesting to free their firmware, writing that the time was ripe (it was concomitant with teh big Intel fail, the meltdown shame..)..
Meh, just don't buy anything from them, that the best protest you can afford yourself..
cheers o/
I bought an AMD six core processor some years back, built a desktop with a Radeon GPU. That beast was so fast it screamed. Hottest PC I ever ran though. Had to run special heat monitor programs and keep an eye on temps constantly, or it would crash hard.
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Some years back I was unfortunate enough as to own a laptop with one of those GPUs and to run it free as in freedoom.. To sum it up: it died reaching absurd temps while playing freedoom (kid you not), I thought it was about to go on fire.. x_X
I had an old netbook that had one of those. The led broke and it was so expansive to replace that I decided to let it rot inside my locker. Now that you mentioned I remembered how hot it would get... At that time I used debian. Sometimes it would get so hot that I got used to use the netbook on the ground so it wouldn't warm too much.
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yeah.. crazy hot, mate Jules.
"Never Cold Winters Agin' With AMD"
Thanks everyone for your help & input.
While I don't wish this thread to go on forever, it does seem to me that there are problems with H-node.
Eg: This page - https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/hardware-type-and-software-freedom - leads you to this - https://trisquel.info/en/forum/amd-ati-graphic-cards-only-chipset-matters-not-brand-and-version
It appears this is a whole can of worms, even for the more experienced commentators, let alone a tech ignoramus like myself. I realise now that AMD is crap thanks to teh Stallaman & others. I also realise that long term I need to replace my crappy hardware if I want to go the "freedoom" route.
Trisquel seems to be the simplest freedom respecting OS out there & the forums are very helpful for newbies like me cf others where one would probably be ignored or called a fag - like on 4chan & 8chan, where they love to insult each other.
Seeing as Trisqel IS relatively simple I still think it would be immensely helpful if there was a page right up front detailing what graphics cards & computers do work & what don't. Even just a list complied by users. It would help uptake & for individuals to make an informed decision right from the word go. People upon first discovering a freedom respecting OS like Trisquel just want to use it, that's enough to contend with. A page right there detailing what does & what doesn't work - when they, like me, don't even know about H-node would be super helpful & "freedoom" respecting.
I've said my bit, I'll shut up now.
Apologies, I forgot to include:
For example - if I'd been aware of Trisquel 18 months ago, when I bought my current AMD computer, and if there had been an upfront page detailing what & what doesn't work with Trisquel - I'd have never bought this computer!
Logical thinking - IMO seems to make a valid case for that caveat & information to be shown upfont, near the distro download.
My thanks again to all who helped me in this thread - I've learnt a great deal.
It's pretty simple really:
* Intel only. No AMD.
* Take out the graphics card if it's there.
* You won't get wireless. Expect to need to buy an adapter.
* You might have problems anyway because the hardware is too new. Expect to need to use distros with bleeding-edge kernel versions and such.
Basically, it sucks big-time. The only way to really win on this front is simply to buy from Think Penguin, Minifree, Technoethical, or Purism. We're well past the point where you could just expect libre software systems to work on a computer bought off the shelf at your local electronics shop.
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