Linux

45551 readers

1802 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Why hasn't anyone built an entirely free computer yet? (self.linux)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by Zeon to c/[email protected]

65 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hello everyone,

I've been wondering, why has no one built an entirely free (as in freedom) computer yet? For humans to be unable to share each other's knowledge to build one of the most important technologies ever created for society, how is it that we have yet to have full knowledge about how our systems operate?

I get that companies are basically the ones to blame, and I know there are alternatives like the Talos II by Raptor Computing, but still, how do we not have publicly available full schematics for just one modern computer? I'm talking down to firmware-level stuff like proprietary ECs, microcode, hard drive/SSD firmware, network controllers, etc. How do we not have a fully open system yet?

(page 2) 16 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Puri.sm with Librem laptops & phones. Undoubtedly there'll be a bunch of shittalkers showing up.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Traditionally the barrier to enter the hardware market has been absurd but fabrication has come a LONG way and the libre-computer movement is having a hayday right now! Lots and lots of interesting hardware and specifications are coming out. RISC-V is going to be massive once the toolchains, compilers, and binaries are more mature and faster hardware has come out.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

@Zeon there was a program - one computer per kid or something... I think we can just build this shit... design, fund, produce, distribute

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

https://youtu.be/vaMxTSm53UU?si=usu3h4RaNXwz26A6

Ltt did a video gaming on a riscv cpu which is free. We just need a free gpu and then we're pretty much there.

load more comments