[GNU/FSF Press] Press release: FSF announces release of gNewSense 1.0

[Eamonn Sullivan]

On 11/4/06, Daniel Robitaille <robitaille at fastmail.fm> wrote:
> On Sat, 04 Nov 2006, Jan Claeys wrote:
>
> > Op zaterdag 04-11-2006 om 00:14 uur [tijdzone +0100], schreef Dennis
> > Kaarsemaker:
> > > On vr, 2006-11-03 at 21:20 +0000, Eamonn Sullivan wrote:
> > >
> > > > I currently using Ubuntu without the linux-restricted-modules package.
> > > > I don't need it. And I already have emacs, etc. installed. Aren't I
> > > > 99% of the way there (other than the logos), or is there more to it
> > > > than that? Do they need to use a different kernel, for example?
> > >
> > > Yes, the UBuntu kernel contains binary-only firmware which they have
> > > removed.
> >
> > AFAIK those firmwares are in the linux-restricted-modules packages?
>
> that's what I thought as well...until I saw Jerome reply earlier
> mentionning ipw2200.    I know by experience that this particular driver
> is not in linux-restricted-modules since I use it for wireless on this
> laptop with restricted disabled.
>
> So maybe my kernel is less free that I thought it was, even by removing
> restricted from my sources.list...

I think this is gNewSense's biggest contribution. I just went through
the changes they make to the kernel source. [1] I really had no idea
that we have to rely on so many binary blobs and proprietary drivers
to get even very normal hardware running. (Common hard drive
controllers, even *wired* ethernet, in come cases!)

It shows the gap, and in some places it's depressingly wide.

[1] http://www.gnewsense.org/MainRepo/Linux-source

-Eamonn