GNU Linux-libre 5.18-gnu

[Alexandre Oliva]

GNU Linux-libre 5.18-gnu cleaning-up scripts, cleaned-up sources, and
cleaning-up logs (including tarball signatures) are now available from
our git-based release archive git://linux-libre.fsfla.org/releases.git/
tags {scripts,sources,logs}/v5.18-gnu.

Compressed tarballs and incremental patches are also available at
<https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/releases/5.18-gnu/>.

The cleanup scripts are unchanged since the updates for rc6.  Jason Self
drew a new image for his beautiful Freedo-and-GNU-themed artwork
collection for this release, check it out at
https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/#news or the whole collection at
https://jxself.org/git/?p=freedo.git;a=tree

While adding Jason's image, I noticed earlier images were a little
messed up in our https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/#artwork section, so I
fixed them up, and turned the displayed bitmap images into links to
their corresponding sources in vector graphics.


Freesh and RPMFreedom, the distributions of .deb and .rpm packages of
GNU Linux-libre maintained by Jason Self, are expected to have binaries
of 5.18-gnu available shortly.  Thanks, Jason!


This was a busy release, with 7 new drivers requiring cleanups to avoid
inducing users to install the blobs they require: MIPI DBI panels,
Amphion VPU, MediaTek MT7986 WMAC, Mediatek 7921U (USB) and Realtek
8852a and 8852c WiFi, Intel AVS, and Texas Instruments TAS5805M speaker
amplifier.  A bunch DTS files were added for new Qualcomm AArch64 SoCs,
and had the blob names in them cleaned up for the same reason.

Other preexisting drivers also required updates because of new mentions
of blobs: AMD GPUs, MediaTek MT7915 and Silicon Labs WF200+ WiFi,
Mellanox Spectrum wired ethernet, Realtek rtw8852c, Qualcomm Q6V5 and
Wolfson ADSP, MediaTek HCI UART.

Finally, lots of drivers were moved within the source tree, and the
script that drives the cleaning up had to be updated to reflect those
changes to media drivers, MHI bus and AMD GPU.


For up-to-the-minute news, join us on IRC (#gnu-linux-libre on
libera.chat).  I often mention our releases on P2P or federated social
media as well.  The link in my email signature has directions.


Be Free! with GNU Linux-libre.


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)

-- 
Alexandre Oliva, happy hacker                https://FSFLA.org/blogs/lxo/
   Free Software Activist                       GNU Toolchain Engineer
Disinformation flourishes because many people care deeply about injustice
but very few check the facts.  Ask me about <https://stallmansupport.org>