GNU Linux-libre 3.14-gnu: "Freedom Pi" is now available

[Alexandre Oliva]

The 3.14-gnu release of GNU Linux-libre is now available.

The deblobbing scripts didn't require significant changes, compared to
those of the previous release; only small adjustments had to be made to
account for drivers removed or modified upstream.

That said, I have been working on the fix for our #1 bug, namely, that
disabling the requests for non-Free firmware removes the ability to load
and use the non-Free firmware without rebuilding the driver or the
entire kernel.  The plan is to implement (at last! :-) the proposal
outlined in http://www.fsfla.org/anuncio/2010-03-Linux-2.6.33-libre

Unfortunately, the fix, that I recently started working on, was not
ready in time for 3.14-gnu, but the plan is to roll out a 3.14-gnu1 or
3.14-gnu2 when that fix is ready.

Once the base infrastructure for that is finished (which should take me
a few more days), I'll post a request for help to linux-libre at fsfla.org
in going through all of the blob-requesting files and adjusting them to
the new framework.  If you'd like to help, please subscribe to the list
at http://www.fsfla.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-libre/

Meanwhile, you may get the 3.14-gnu sources, that still disables the
loading of non-Free firmware, from the locations listed at our web site
http://linux-libre.fsfla.org/

Builds of 3.14-gnu for the gnewsense/lemote (mipsel .debs), freed-ora
(x86 and x86_64 .rpms) and freesh (x86, x86_64 and ppc .debs) binary
distributions of GNU Linux-libre are not ready yet, but they may very
well be by the time you read this.

You may keep up with up-to-the-minute news regarding GNU Linux-libre by
joining us on the #linux-libre channel of irc.gnu.org (Freenode), or by
following me (@lxoliva) on the Twister P2P microblogging network (see
<http://twister.net.co/>), or in the pump.io federated network, at
https://identi.ca/lxoliva/

Be Free! with GNU Linux-libre.


WHAT IS GNU Linux-libre?

  GNU Linux-libre is a Free version of the kernel Linux (see below),
  suitable for use with the GNU Operating System in 100% Free
  GNU/Linux-libre System Distributions.
  http://www.gnu.org/distros/

  It removes non-Free components from Linux, that are disguised as
  source code or distributed in separate files.  It also disables
  run-time requests for non-Free components, shipped separately or as
  part of Linux, and documentation pointing to them, so as to avoid
  (Free-)baiting users into the trap of non-Free Software.
  http://www.fsfla.org/anuncio/2010-11-Linux-2.6.36-libre-debait

  Linux-libre started within the gNewSense GNU/Linux distribution.
  It was later adopted by Jeff Moe, who coined its name, and in 2008
  it became a project maintained by FSF Latin America.  In 2012, it
  became part of the GNU Project.

  The GNU Linux-libre project takes a minimal-changes approach to
  cleaning up Linux, making no effort to substitute components that
  need to be removed with functionally equivalent Free ones.
  Nevertheless, we encourage and support efforts towards doing so.
  http://libreplanet.org/wiki/LinuxLibre:Devices_that_require_non-free_firmware

  Our mascot is Freedo, a light-blue penguin that has just come out
  of the shower.  Although we like penguins, GNU is a much greater
  contribution to the entire system, so its mascot deserves more
  promotion.  See our web page for their images.
  http://linux-libre.fsfla.org/

WHAT IS LINUX?

  Linux is a clone of the Unix kernel [...]

(snipped from the README in the source distribution of GNU Linux-libre)

-- 
Alexandre Oliva, freedom fighter    http://FSFLA.org/~lxoliva/
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Gandhi
Be Free! -- http://FSFLA.org/   FSF Latin America board member
Free Software Evangelist     Red Hat Brazil Toolchain Engineer