GNU Linux-libre 6.18-gnu

[Freedo]

Hello, free world,

*waves wing slowly, as if in slow motion*

I'm Freedo, the mascot and spokespenguin for GNU Linux-libre, the
Linux-like kernel that, unlike Linux, won't push binary blobs under
obnoxious licenses onto you.

*blob*

Tonight's announcement: Linux-libre 6.18-gnu has just been released.

You can download it from:

git://linux-libre.fsfla.org/releases.git/
tags {scripts,sources,logs}/v6.18-gnu

Pre-compressed tarballs will shortly be obtainable from:

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/releases/6.18-gnu/

By the time you read this, compiled releases may already be available at:

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/freesh/ (.deb)

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/rpmfreedom/ (.rpm)


# Cleaning up news

- Newly-added upstream drivers for FourSemi digital audio amplifier
  (library and FS2104/5S), for TI TAS2783 speaker amplifier, and for
  Qualcomm GENI Serial Engine would attempt to load blobs if we didn't
  neuter them;

*blob* *blob* *blob*

- Nova-Core, Intel XE, TI PRU Ethernet, and Marvell WiFi-Ex had changes
  in their blob loading logic upstream, and required adjustments in our
  cleaning up;

*blob*

- TI WL1273 FM Radio driver was removed upstream, so we could drop its
  cleaning-up logic;

- The Lantiq GSWIP driver moved in the source tree, requiring
  adjustments in our cleaning-up machinery;

- Multiple new devicetree files for Qualcomm, Mediatek and TI ARM64
  devices mentioned binary blobs upstream, and we have cleaned them up.

*blob* *blob* *blob* *blob*


# Artwork

Binary blobs, like microplastics, are getting everywhere, even deep
underwater.  We needed some deep-sea diving equipment to reach some
stuff that needed to be cleaned.

*blob* *blob*

Tutor Jason Self took a picture, that we posted on the web site.  See
how great things look when they're clean?
https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/#news

*blob*

Nevermind these *blob* sounds, that's just the bubbles going up from our
diving equipment, nothing to worry about.  It's the binary blobs that we
need to be concerned with.


# Donations

As a project, we don't have any expenses, so we'd never thought of
fundraising.  But the truth is that the reason we don't have expenses is
because the FSF has been hosting the server for us.

When we found ourselves in need of a new server for Linux-libre, back in
2009 or so (long before Linux-libre joined GNU), because our previous
server was about to expire and FSFLA couldn't afford to keep it running,
the FSF kindly extended its hands and enabled the project to keep on
offering a freedom-respecting, GNU FSDG-compliant Linux-like kernel to
the Free Software community at large.

So, if you ever felt like donating to GNU Linux-libre, please donate to
the FSF instead.  https://www.fsf.org/appeal


# Keeping in touch

Follow me in the Fediverse for fresh news about GNU Linux-libre.
https://mastodon.social/@freedo

My tutors jxself and lxo are also on IRC:
#gnu-linux-libre on libera.chat.

There's also a mailing list you're welcome to join:
https://www.fsfla.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-libre

That was all, everyone.  Be Free! with GNU Linux-libre.

*waves wing*


# Rolling credits

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)