GNU Linux-libre 6.11-gnu

[Freedo]

Hello, free world,

*waves wings*

As the super!spokespenguin for the GNU Linux-libre project, I'm here
tonight to let you know that release 6.11-gnu is already available:

git://linux-libre.fsfla.org/releases.git/
tags {scripts,sources,logs}/v6.11-gnu

The cleaning-up scripts for this release unfortunately haven't been
modified since rc7, when they were first published.


Source tarballs, incremental patches, scripts, logs and compiled
packages are already available at:

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/releases/6.11-gnu/

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/freesh/ (.deb)

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/rpmfreedom/ (.rpm)


# Changes to the cleaning up

- Cleaned up amdgpu isp, tn40, rtl8192du, cs40l50, rt1320,
pcie-rcar-gen4, and new AArch64 devicetree files.

- Updated cleaning up of amdgpu, adreno, vgxy61, atomisp, btnxpuart,
prueth, tas2781.

- Added nowait-nowarn version of the firmware loading/rejecting
primitives.

- Added detection of firmware-loading primitives in Rust.


# Artwork

Look, ma, I'm super!, after having Freesh GNU GPL Drinks.
Pictures by tutor Jason Self.
https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/~freedo/#news


# Bad news

When preparing 6.11-rc7-gnu, tutor Alex caught a long sequence of
numbers that looked suspicious, contacted the contributor of the new
driver, and got confirmation that it was indeed executable code
generated from unreleased source code.

Back when upstream started adding binary blobs to Linux, they were
argued to be separate programs, under different licenses.  But this new
one was contributed explicitly under the GNU GPL, so, as long as its
source code remained unavailable, it could not be distributed at all.

The contributor agreed, and immediately proceeded to address the legal
problem, posting patches to move the blob out.  Unfortunately, the top
maintainer of Linux doesn't seem to have seen a problem there, and
proceeded to the final release without the fix.

IANAL, but even as a penguin I understand that distributing it that way
fails to comply with the requirements of the stated license, and can
thus get your license automatically terminated.  So, those of you who
plan on distributing that release, watch out and stay out of trouble!

Even more unfortunately, a deeper problem remains: the program that must
be loaded onto the device for it to work remains nonfree, so the device
remains incompatible with the freedoms that all users deserve.


# Good news

On the good side, that binary blob can still be obtained from upstream
under the GNU GPLv2, so anyone interested in it can proceed to legally
reverse engineer it, and get us all one more Free piece of firmware.


In other good news, Freesh, the .deb distribution of GNU Linux-libre
maintained by tutor Jason, turned 13 last week.  Thank you very much for
being there for all of us, Jason!
https://jxself.org/13-years-of-freesh.shtml


# Keeping in touch

Follow me in the Fediverse for fresh news about GNU Linux-libre.
https://mastodon.social/@freedo

My tutors jxself and lxo are also on IRC: #gnu-linux-libre on libera.chat.

There's also a mailing list you're welcome to join:
https://www.fsfla.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-libre

That was all, everyone.  Be Free! with GNU Linux-libre.

*waves wings*


# Rolling credits

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/

  If you are the author of an awesome program and want to join us in
  writing Free (libre) Software, please consider making it an official
  GNU program and become a GNU Maintainer.  You can find instructions
  on how to do so at https://www.gnu.org/help/evaluation.  We look
  forward to hacking with you! :)


What is Linux?
--------------

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

(snipped from Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst)