Categories
Free Culture

LP – Linux Libre

Alexandre Oliva’s talk on the Linux Libre kernel was one of the clearest and most persuasive presentations of the what, why and how of a project that I’ve ever seen. It’s shocking that the Linux kernel has non-free software in it. The Linux Libre project has written a system to clean out that non-free software (not so much removing functionality as adding freedom) and provide a truly free kernel.

One issue that Alexandre raised which I hadn’t considered before is of code legibility as an issue for freedom. If code consists of incomprehensible blobs of data that’s one thing, but incomprehensible code can also thwart a user’s ability to study and modify a program.

I installed Linux Libre on my laptop running Fedora before attending Libre Planet. The only change I had to make was the addition of a free wireless network link. It’s a usable kernel for GNU that respects your freedom. Try it!