Re: Exist operating systems that ship without blobs?

[Brandon Vincent <Brandon.Vincent%asu.edu@localhost>]

On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 6:53 AM, Jorge Luis
<jorgeluiscorreioeletronico%gmail.com@localhost> wrote:
> If yes, what are the operating systems that ship without blobs?

Sure. Trisquel GNU/Linux for example. Go ahead and load it onto your
computer and find that very little of your hardware is supported. Go
get hardware that works without proprietary kernel blobs or firmware
and try again. Oh wait! Now you realize that the BIOS/UEFI/firmware on
your motherboard isn't free. Go find some outdated hardware (no AMT,
no mandatory microcode updates, etc.) from libreboot and use that.
Hang on? Isn't there read-only microcode already on the CPU? You don't
have control over that. How about the proprietary hardware on your
motherboard, keyboard, and every other card or peripheral in/attached
to your computer?

I want libre software and hardware, don't get me wrong, but treating
it the way the FSF does gets a little extreme at times. Does RMS
refuse to drive in a car because it uses proprietary electronics? How
about the bicycle designed with a non-free CAD program? Can you not
use a microwave because of a specialized IC?

Use libre software and hardware when you get the chance, fight for
open software and hardware, but don't go crazy when blobs are
necessary for functionality.

Brandon Vincent