[Arm-netbook] Verifying firmware

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

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crowd-funded eco-conscious hardware: https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68


On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 8:32 PM, Raphaël Mélotte
<raphael.melotte at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thank you for your precise answer ! (As every of your answers I saw on the
> mailing list)

 no problem.  i guess talking with dr stallman had some effect, uh? :)

> Ideology probably wasn't the right word, of course I wouldn't like you to be
> "yet another proprietary software peddler".

 :)

> By the way if I got it right, you say 99% of the hardware is open because
> only the mali GPU isn't documented ? (but we won't use it)  That is awesome
> !

 yep. it's less ideal than we'd like (clearly).

> I really didn't know that NSA was already intercepting shipments before they
> arrive to their destination,

 easily found, google "nsa intercept photos" - it's right there
 http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/05/photos-of-an-nsa-upgrade-factory-show-cisco-router-getting-implant/

> now I'm even more convinced that we need libre
> hardware for everyone.

 *shrugs* :)

> What I forgot to ask was if it was possible to read and possibly reflash
> firmware from the userspace,

 yep.

> or would it require some special hardware to be
> connected directly to the chip like when flashing libreboot ?

 no - you just need to format a micro-sd card in a specific way, and
the boot rom will look for it on MMC0.  another way is to put the
processor into "USB-FEL" mode and just upload programs over a USB-OTG
cable directly into memory.

 both methods are fully documented on the sunxi wiki.

>  Anyway I guess
> I will find out by myself as investigate more about it.

  yep.  start with the sunxi wiki.

> PS: I miss-configured my subscription to the mailing list and couldn't reply
> directly to your message. I hope this reply will get where it has to be,
> linked to the right thread.

 looks like it.  "reply" is configured to go only to the list, but
whom you're sending as must be *only* from the address that's
subscribed.  stick another one on and change the subscription to
"nomail" if you prefer - i've done that with 3 separate email
addresses on this list alone ;)

l.