Debian and gNewSense
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Just a curiosity. gNewSense is the totally free version of Debian, following
FSF distro criteria. Debian main default version is totally free, as you can
see on FSF statement on h-node.org. There are many differences with Debian
Main default old (old)stable release:
http://gnewsense.org/Documentation/3/DifferencesWithDebian
My question is: is Debian main default version really totally free?
No debian is not free because it use by default the blobbed version of the kernel.
It does not. The Linux kernel supplied by Debian is deblobbed using their own scripts (they do not use Linux-libre, but it is still fully free). However, the installer may recommend non-free firmware in some cases.
If it's deblobbed I should not be able to install the libre radeon drivers, and I tried the latest debian and I still can install it.
So they deblob it but not enough.
What are you going on about? There's nothing wrong with the libre Radeon drivers. Linux-libre includes those, too.
If you're talking about the firmware, and saying that a libre kernel must be unable to load proprietary firmware, I have a news flash for you: not being able to load Radeon firmware isn't a design choice of Linux-libre, it's a side-effect of a choice to remove error messages when this firmware is unavailable. If preventing loading of firmware was a design choice, that would be a digital restriction mechanism, i.e. Linux-libre would be defective by design.
Additionally, Linux-libre can load proprietary firmware. It will happily load any firmware as long as it has the proper name and is a firmware file which has not had its references removed (i.e. there is a libre version of the firmware available). It just can't load firmware at all (libre or proprietary) if there is no libre firmware available.
Honestly, I think worrying about printing the name of a firmware file is a but much, so I think Debian's deblobbing process is better. But please don't mis-characterize the design goals of Linux-libre.
What are you going on about? There's nothing wrong with the libre Radeon
drivers. Linux-libre includes those, too.
If you're talking about the firmware, and saying that a libre kernel must be
unable to load proprietary firmware, I have a news flash for you: not being
able to load Radeon firmware isn't a design choice of Linux-libre, it's a
side-effect of a choice to remove error messages when this firmware is
unavailable. If preventing loading of firmware was a design choice, that
would be a digital restriction mechanism, i.e. Linux-libre would be defective
by design.
Additionally, Linux-libre can load proprietary firmware. It will happily load
any firmware as long as it has the proper name and is a firmware file which
has not had its references removed (i.e. there is a libre version of the
firmware available). It just can't load firmware at all (libre or
proprietary) if there is no libre firmware available.
Honestly, I think worrying about printing the name of a firmware file is a
but much, so I think Debian's deblobbing process is better. But please don't
mis-characterize the design goals of Linux-libre.
If it's deblobbed I should not be able to install the libre radeon drivers,
and I tried the latest debian and I still can install it.
So they deblob it but not enough.
I am a translator!
Just like Trisquel, Debian does not use the linux libre kernel but their own script to strip the linux kernel from all the blobs. The Debian kernel has been 100% libre (no proprietary firmware) ever since Debian 6.
Debian is as libre as Tisquel by default. Sure, you can install a ton of proprietary nastiness on it, if you so like, but you can do the same on Trisquel or whatever distro.
It does not. The Linux kernel supplied by Debian is deblobbed using their own
scripts (they do not use Linux-libre, but it is still fully free). However,
the installer may recommend non-free firmware in some cases.
I am a translator!
Just like Trisquel, Debian does not use the linux libre kernel but their own
script to strip the linux kernel from all the blobs. The Debian kernel has
been 100% libre (no proprietary firmware) ever since Debian 6.
Debian is as libre as Tisquel by default. Sure, you can install a ton of
proprietary nastiness on it, if you so like, but you can do the same on
Trisquel or whatever distro.
And the most important, Debian does not promote free software
I am a translator!
Megver: I'm not sure what you mean by "promote free software" but I'd like it very much if you'd read the Debian social contract. In particular the first point of it as we know that usually the first point of anything is also the main and most important point..
Debian will remain 100% free
We provide the guidelines that we use to determine if a work is "free" in the document entitled "The Debian Free Software Guidelines". We promise that the Debian system and all its components will be free according to these guidelines. We will support people who create or use both free and non-free works on Debian. We will never make the system require the use of a non-free component.
I am a translator!
very much read the Debian social contract. In particular the first point of
it as we know that usually the first point of anything is also the main and
most important point..
Debian will remain 100% free
We provide the guidelines that we use to determine if a work is "free" in the
document entitled "The Debian Free Software Guidelines". We promise that the
Debian system and all its components will be free according to these
guidelines. We will support people who create or use both free and non-free
works on Debian. We will never make the system require the use of a non-free
component.
Ok, so in conclusion Debian is near to be recommended, but developers should take more seriusly the work.
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