Talk: Hardware/Whitepaper

Some ideas for article enhancement

For each piece of hardware, include company contact, link to source, check in linux-libre. Include references to any statements about things being free to original source documents.

Boot Firmware

• Coreboot. Find out if there are any consulting companies that do coreboot work and list them. See if there are any examples of coreboot working on mobile devices.
• Openboot / openfirmare - http://www.firmworks.com/ - http://howsoftwareisbuilt.com/2008/03/27/interview-with-mitch-bradley-firmware-olpc/
• PMON 2000. Include links to Lemote mods, Gdium mods (if can find - need to bug people in #gdium)
• U-Boot - it or modified version used on openmoko, bunch of other devices

Wifi

• ath9k, rtl8187b (which is in lemote yeeloong), ath6k (openmoko)
• marvell wifi that http://road.de may have got freed (see that ticket)

Suggestion section

Stuff that isn't necessary for freedom, but would make products more popular with free software hackers.

• Nubbin mouse. Hackers don't like to move hands from keyboard. Research legal situation; see if we can find Lenovo contact and see if they license their implementation.
• Contact Pixel Xi / Mary Lou Jepsin regarding if her new company has the OLPC-like screens etc available yet.
• Don't scrimp on fan quality.
• Allow for replacement of components when possible. If you feel you need to include non-free hardware to be competitive in the market, at least make those components replaceable so hardware can be easily modded/used by people who care about software freedom.

People to contact for review / additions at some point

• olpc alumni: mary lou, dilinger
• olpc hw peeps: wad, richard smith
• freeflying from #gdium
• lemote@gnu.org list
• coreboot mailing list
• firmworks people (mitch bradley)
• FSF's friends in industry - via guy (welte?), atheros people, etc
• xxv / mit mobile group
• leah buckley / media lab wearables group
• michalis bledsas (wifi stuff)

Random stuff to look into more

• opensparc
• loongson
• list all components of openmoko
• pc engines bios
• email opensolaris laptop-discuss list and ask if any of the solaris laptops (nextcom, Accutech) are known to come with, or could be made to use, sun openboot firmware (the firmware that was made free software (BSD I think) as part of the OpenSparc initiative, and then taken and modded by olpc/firmworks for the OLPC XO).