Introduction
Having FSDG compliant distributions that support many architecture is interesting for several reasons:
- To get the RYF certification for a computer, being able to use all the components of that computer with free software is not enough as that computer also needs run an FSDG compliant distribution on that computer. See the RYF endorsement criteria for more details on that certification.
- Users that want fully free system can also build systems similar to the ones that got the RYF certification themselves and/or get some help to do it, and here they also need FSDG compliant distributions to run on their computers.
- As some computers can run fully free software, with some of the hardware components not working, it's also very interesting to be able to have a distribution to support such hardware. See the article on single-board-computers on the FSF website for more details.
It is also interesting to understand who is able to use the FSDG GNU/Linux distributions. For instance if an architecture is supported only by FSDG compliant distributions that are for technical users with good command line knowledge, it would dramatically limit the amount of people able to use that computers with that architecture with fully free software.
The release type (Rolling release, stable releases) and the release frequency is also important to take into account:
General purpose GNU/Linux distributions
General information
Distribution
|
Audience
|
Release type
|
GuixSD
|
Technical users:
- Mostly graphical installation
- The knowledge of a guile compatible programing language is required to administrate the system
- Do graphical Guix tools do exist?
|
Rolling release
|
Hyperbola
|
Everybody?
- Can the installation be done graphically?
- It has a graphical package manager (octopi). Is it installed during the graphical installation?
- Does the user needs to mess up with configuration files?
|
Stable releases
|
Parabola
|
Everybody:
|
Rolling releases
|
PureOS
|
Everybody:
- The installation can be done graphically
- There is a graphical package manager
|
Rolling release
|
Trisquel
|
Everybody:
- The installation can be done graphically
- There is a graphical package manager
|
Stable releases
|
Architectures support
Distribution or software
|
x86 32bit
|
x86 64bit
|
ARM 32bit
|
ARM 64bit
|
PowerPC 64bit little endian
|
Riscv 64bit
|
GuixSD
|
i686
|
Yes
|
armhf
|
Yes
|
No
|
?
|
Hyperbola
|
i686
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
?
|
Parabola
|
i686
|
Yes
|
armv7h
|
No
|
Unfinished
|
Unfinished
|
PureOS
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
can be installed with debootstrap
|
No
|
?
|
Trisquel
|
i686
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
?
|
Small distributions
Distribution or software
|
Usage
|
Audience
|
Release type
|
libreCMC
|
- WiFi access point and small network equipements
- Ben Nanonote (tiny portable device)
|
?
|
Stable releases
|
ProteanOS
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Replicant
|
- Android distribution for smartphones and tablets
|
Users with extremely basic command line knowledge
|
Stable releases
|
Architectures support
Distribution or software
|
x86 32bit
|
x86 64bit
|
ARM 32bit
|
ARM 64bit
|
MIPS
|
libreCMC
|
Requires to build from source
|
Requires to build from source
|
Requires to build from source
|
No
|
Yes
|
ProteanOS
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Replicant
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Adding support for a device
Distribution or software
|
Adding support for a device
|
General purpose GNU/Linux distributions
|
- You may need to package device specific software like bootloaders for non-x86 devices
- You may need to update or write installation instructions for the device if the existing ones do not support the device
- You need to upstream the code that makes the hardware work if it's not already done
|
libreCMC
|
|
ProteanOS
|
|
Replicant
|
- You need to add a vendor/device/the-vendor/the-device repository with the hardware configuration
- You may need to package the code that makes the hardware work if it's not already done
|