GNU Linux-libre 6.15-gnu

[Freedo]

Hello, free world,

*waves wing*

My name is Freedo, and maybe you already know that I'm the spokespenguin
for the GNU Linux-libre project.

What you probably don't know yet, and that brings me here, is that we've
just released Linux-libre 6.15-gnu.  It's available at:

git://linux-libre.fsfla.org/releases.git/
tags {scripts,sources,logs}/v6.15-gnu

Pre-compressed tarballs will shortly be obtainable from:

- https://www.fsfla.org/selibre/linux-libre/download/releases/6.15-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)
  (breaking news: it now carries the 6.12-gnu LTS series too)

# Cleaning up news

- neutered blob loading in nova core gpu, Qualcomm iris v4l2, Airoha
  NPU, Tehuti Networks TN40xx 10G ethernet, Realtek 8814A wifi, Apple
  Silicon SoC touchscreen, Renesas UFS hooks, and aw88166 audio drivers.

- cleaned up various new/updated blob names in drivers that already
  needed cleaning up

- dropped Spider 1Gb ethernet driver cleaning up, because the driver was
  removed upstream

- unconventional :-) neutering of blob loading from Rust (*)

- cleaned up directions and recommendations to install SOF binaries, (**)
  because nearly all of them were found to be shackled by Tivoization.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tivoization


(*) Blobs loaded by Rust drivers

Nova Core is in the infamous position of being the first driver to have
been merged with the upstream kernel Linux that is written in Rust and
that loads blobs.

We set out to clean it up, and we did, but...  we don't speak Rust, so
we've broken it in the process.  Now, that's not so unconventional, is
it?  :-)

Not a biggie: all the Rust bits in Linux are optional and likely turned
off by default, so that won't prevent you from building GNU Linux-libre
6.15-gnu unless Rust bits get enabled.

Anyhow, we'd like to fix it for later stable releases, we're just not
sure how, and we don't have the tools handy to experiment with.

If you know Rust and always wanted to make a short-term contribution to
the GNU Linux-libre project, here's your chance: join us on the mailing
list and/or on IRC, and please share your fixes and advice with us as to
a workable blob-neutering strategy.

Thanks in advance,


(**) Sound "Open"-noxious Firmware

Its sources are publicly available under Free Software licenses, and
even signatures can be made using a published key.

The obnoxious catch?  Few if any devices accept the signatures made with
that key.

Most demand signatures made by another key, kept secret to prevent users
from installing and running modified versions of these
otherwise-freedom-respecting programs.

For this reason, we've recently cleaned up all active stable branches
that used to point at seemingly-free distributions of S"O"F binaries.

We'd be happy to direct users to a libre distribution of SOF binaries
instead, carrying none of the Tivoized and only the freedom-respecting
binaries.  Would you like to maintain one?  Let us know!


# Artwork

Did you know that, in an alternate timeline, Tux is actually a blue and
freedom-respecting penguin like me, and he only looks the way he does
because of a *lot* of dirt he carries around with him?

Tutor Jason Self made a picture of that alternate timeline, with me
cleaning Tux up from all that dirt, revealing his true colors.
Alas, that's from an alternate timeline.
https://linux-libre.fsfla.org/~freedo/#news



# 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)