Group: Hardware/History/Laptops Comparison

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Revision as of 11:43, 20 August 2014 by Fchmmr (talk | contribs) (Someone needs to write a free replacement for some parts)
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Introduction

Good for freedom

Brand and Model Type Required and Optional Proprietary "BIOS Replacement" Components Required and Optional Proprietary Components for Peripherals Compatible BIOS Replacements Compatible 100% Free software distributions Availability
Lemote 8089D Netbook None None
  • Pmon
  • Grub2
  • gNewsense
Out of stock
Lemote 8101B Netbook None None
  • Pmon
  • Grub2
  • gNewsense
Last stock at Tekmote

Coreboot laptops (can be built fully libre) that are supported by libreboot

Brand and Model Type Required and Optional Proprietary "BIOS Replacement" Components Required and Optional Proprietary Components for Peripherals Compatible BIOS Replacements Compatible 100% Free software distributions Availability
Lenovo X60 / X60s / X60 Tablet light/compact Notebook
  • With coreboot: Optional VGA BIOS ROM, needed only for SeaBIOS and Memtest86+ (GRUB as payload and Linux's KMS work without it)
  • CPU Microcode: most devices work without it
  • The default Wifi Card is from Intel and require non-free firmware, replace that card.
  • Trisquel 5.5 and newer
  • Parabola
Easy to find second hand
Lenovo T60 (with Intel GPU) Notebook
  • With coreboot: with some screens VGA BIOS needed to initialize graphics before KMS, others like X60 with patch
  • CPU microcode: usually optional, like X60
  • The default Wi-Fi card is from Intel and requires non-free firmware, replace that card.
The default non-free BIOS can be replaced with Coreboot v4 (complicated procedure) or its distribution libreboot (installation instructions)
  • Trisquel 5.5 and newer
  • Parabola
Easy to find second hand
Apple MacBook2,1 / MacBook 1,1 Notebook
  • With coreboot: Optional VGA BIOS ROM, needed only for SeaBIOS and Memtest86+ (GRUB as payload and Linux's KMS work without it)
  • CPU Microcode: most devices work without it
  • The default Wi-Fi card is an Atheros chipset which works fully with libre kernel.
The default non-free EFI firmware can be replaced with Coreboot v4 (complicated procedure) or its distribution libreboot (installation instructions)
  • Trisquel 5.5 and newer
  • Parabola
Easy to find second hand

Someone needs to write a free replacement for some parts

Brand and Model Type Required and Optional Proprietary "BIOS Replacement" Components Required and Optional Proprietary Components for Peripherals Compatible BIOS Replacements Compatible 100% Free software distributions Availability
Lemote Loongson 3A notebook Notebook
  • ATI VGA BIOS/Option Rom Required to have graphics, someone needs to write a free replacement for that.
  • Probably optional ATI microcode for the GPU (no acceleration without it).
Pmon None, gNewSense needs just a custom kernel Out of stock
Lenovo T60 (with ATI GPU) Notebook
  • With Coreboot: ATI VGA BIOS/Option ROM required to have graphics (can be used in headless mode, without graphics. Serial console and SSH).
  • CPU microcode: usually optional, like X60
  • The default Wi-Fi card is from Intel and requires non-free firmware, replace that card.
  • The default non-free BIOS can be replaced with Coreboot v4 (complicated procedure)
  • Probably optional ATI microcode for the GPU (no acceleration without it).
  • Trisquel 5.5 and newer
  • Parabola
Easy to find second hand
Lenovo X201 Small notebook
  • The default Wi-Fi card is from Intel and requires non-free firmware, replace it.
  • Trisquel 5.5 and 6.0 ?
  • Parabola ?
Second hand

Bad for freedom

Unsorted

Brand and Model Type Required and Optional Proprietary "BIOS Replacement" Components Required and Optional Proprietary Components for Peripherals Compatible BIOS Replacements Compatible 100% Free software distributions Availability
OLPC XO-1 Small notebook
  • VSA (LGPL) cannot be built with free software yet.
  • Internal Wi-Fi card requires non-free firmware.
  • Free BIOS Replacement (which one?)
  •  ?
Chromebook Pixel Thin notebook
  • MRC.bin: RAM controller initialization, runs on the main CPU
  • ME.bin: runs on another CPU, the Management Engine, very hard to replace and dangerous
  • Optional non-free VGA BIOS (has a free replacement in Coreboot)
  • CPU Microcode?
  • None
  • Coreboot with uboot as payload by default
  •  ?
  • Available new
  • Available in USA, UK, and probably other countries
Samsung Series 3 Chromebook Thin notebook
  • Required BL1: proprietary and signed.
  • Wi-Fi needs non-free firmware (issues [1] [2] show it uses the mwifiex_sdio driver), same chip provides Bluetooth probably also requiring non-free firmware
  • Coreboot?
  • Uboot
  •  ?
  • Available new
  • …in which countries?