Linux 5.5 Required More Deblobbing Than Usual For GNU Linux-libre 5.5

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux 5.5 Required More Deblobbing Than Usual For GNU Linux-libre 5.5

Fresh off the Linux 5.5 release, the Free Software Foundation Latin America crew has debuted their GNU Linux-libre 5.5 downstream that continues to be focused on deblobbing the kernel of drivers requiring proprietary firmware and stripping out other code/functionality that is contingent upon non-free software bits and removing the ability to load closed-source kernel modules...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-Libre-5.5-GNU

[baracca]

Maybe WireGuard will be almost ready for being mainlined in _{Linux 6.0} ^{Linux 7.0}...

[anarki2]

Wow, and I thought Devuan is a waste of time. And then comes this...

[Almindor]

Wow, and I thought Devuan is a waste of time. And then comes this...

I guess you don't mind the Orvellian future we're in. I'm glad someone is taking the time to do this. Even looking at the list is infuriating. NONE OF THOSE NEED THE MICROCODE BLOBS!

[andyprough]

Wow, and I thought Devuan is a waste of time. And then comes this...

Youngsters around here thinking that Linux-libre is some new phenomenon. Kernels going back to 2.6 are available in the FSF Latin America archives.

[NotMine999]

Is a Linux kernelwithout those binary blobs worth any time investigating?

In my experience, when a Linux kernel doesn't have those binary blobs to load for support of hardware that require it, that hardware either doesn't work or has limited functionality.

[ZeroPointEnergy]

Wow, and I thought Devuan is a waste of time. And then comes this...

OK kid

[Danny3]

Wow, and I thought Devuan is a waste of time. And then comes this...

Do you really consider the fight for real freedom a waste of time ?
If many fights for freedom haven't took place in the past, you would've been probably a slave in chains today.
Just because it's software it doesn't mean that it's not important.
One day the Linux kernel will power self driving cars and robots.
Would you trust them with binary blobs ?
Have you seen the "I, Robot" movie?
Just wait until these technologies are more widespread and then you'll see how important is to have free and open source software running on them.

[starshipeleven]

Do you really consider the fight for real freedom a waste of time ?

Do you really consider writing a makefile or bash script to remove blobs from the kernel a fight for real freedom?

[You-]

AFAIK it was through similar actions that the firmware loading mechanisms were implemented/improved within the linux kernel.

This should allow people to make improvements where certain specific firmware features are eventually taken out of the blob control and this is useful as then you will have knowledge of how the hardware works. (It was also why free software initially became necessary - to make a printer work.)

A problem with android is that it is too reliant on firmware blobs and patches that are not mainlined (so a slightly different issue). That means people are stuck on ancient 3,.x series kernels for much of the hardware.

I hope there is a day that the mainline kernel can support modern mobile hardware natively.