Author: Taiidan@gmx.com Date: To: dng Subject: Re: [DNG] Devuan on a Purism
Everyone here knows purism stuff is blobbed right?
Their laptops have coreboot but that isn't open source firmware - the
hardware init process on their laptops is entirely blobbed (done via
FSP) and they are are being very dishonest for not stating this up front
and instead claiming to have "open source firmware"
They also claim their laptops have a disabled ME which is impossible -
even with HAP on skylake the kernel and bup hw init still run.
Trying to have freedom on modern x86 systems is being naive and beating
a dead horse at best - an incredibly dishonest scam at worst.
I expect their mobile devices to be just as non-free and dishonest when
it comes to their touted security (usb isn't modem isolation!)
considering their track record for ignoring the community and not caring
what anyone thinks.
Alternatives:
The g505s is an open cpu/ram init owner controlled ME/PSP free
alternative to the faux-libre laptops which with the best compatible
circa 2013 quad core A10 is nearly equivilant now that intel's cpu
performance is ruined via the spectre/meltdown fixes.
If you want an owner controlled performance system either you buy old
x86 or you buy OpenPOWER - there is nothing else.
x86 will never be free whereas with OpenPOWER you get an OEM[1] that
actually listens and implements suggestions provides help with small
system integrators like raptor (they asked for and received various
things from ibm needed to have an entirely libre firmware including the
hardware init process for their systems)
[1]OP is one of the rare gems from IBM...it blows my mind the future of
computing freedom is from them...I guess they did it because better
performance alone isn't reason to switch to POWER there needed to be
more compelling reasons and now they have one.