[Arm-netbook] System 76 - Entering Phase 3

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

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


On Fri, Apr 21, 2017 at 4:57 PM, Lyberta <lyberta at lyberta.net> wrote:
>> While I understand what you are saying I don't see how having one of
>> the most Linux friendly laptop manufacturers making a laptop based on
>> the EOMA68 standard would be a bad idea. Let's say hypothetically, they
>> decided to make the most awesome modular EOMA68 laptop possible, dual usb-c
>> 3.1 and the works. Even if they did ship the system with a CPU card that
>> was running Ubuntu on it, the whole EOMA68 standard works on the premise
>> that if you can plug it in, it will work. Therefore, couldn't you just
>> swap out out the CPU card and put any other compatible EOMA68 CPU card in
>> there to enjoy the benefits of a well designed laptop and run your preferred
>> distro instead?
>
> Well if they ship Ubuntu, there are probably tons of hardware parts that
> require proprietary blobs to work. They will need a very different
> strategy to make sure that 100% libre EOMA68 cards will work with all
> hardware. I'd want them to release a RYF-certified desktop to see if
> they are up to our standards.

 the rules are very clear: parts which require proprietary firmware
must be removable, replaceable and their removal *not* interfere with
the operation of the machine.

 for example: a proprierary USB DRM "dongle" which requires a
proprietary application, the lack of which prevents and prohibits
operation of the machine, or its video replay, or... anything at all,
is prohibited (or, at least: won't receive Certification).

 if they were to make a card which required proprietary firmware,
that's up to them: the *base* unit is *required* to be fully
functional and compliant with the EOMA68 v1 spec with any *other*
Card.

 so it's all good, either way.

l.