[kwlug-disc] Open source laptop hardware

[Doug Moen]

The Reform is almost entirely free of binary blobs. All Linux drivers are open source. The only blob is for the DDR controller. This blob is loaded into an auxiliary controller, not the CPU.

Librem had the same problem with the DDR blob for their laptop, so they burned it into read-only flash in order to get their RYF certification from the FSF. MNT isn't planning to do this. But modulo this rules-lawyering, the Reform is as RYF as the Librem.
Source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24034502

By contrast, my understanding is that a SiFive SOC with a GPU would not be blob free. And the Raspberry Pi 4 has many blobs.
So that's why RISC-V boards and a Pi 4 in a laptop shell are not comparable to the Reform.

Doug.

On Mon, Jan 31, 2022, at 2:06 PM, Chris Irwin via kwlug-disc wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 31, 2022 at 08:32:33AM -0500, CrankyOldBugger wrote:
>>Ars Technica has a writeup on an open-source hardware laptop.  It's not
>>pretty but....
>>
>>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/01/review-mnt-reform-laptop-has-fully-open-hardware-and-software-for-better-or-worse/
>
> Not specifically detailed in the ARS article or on the laptop's website, 
> but did they go through the effort of implenting UEFI so generic ARM64 
> images can be used? Or is this yet another bespoke build target with EOL 
> already on the horizon?
>
> Personally, I'm surprised a product like this isn't attempting to use 
> one of the early RISC-V implementations. That seems like it would be a 
> better match for the target audience of this machine. SiFive boards are 
> currently slower than a Pi4 -- but so is this. As it appears now, it 
> doesn't have any advantages over a Pi4 in a laptop shell (there are 
> several kits you can buy)
>
> -- 
> Chris Irwin
>
> email:   chris at chrisirwin.ca
>   xmpp:   chris at chrisirwin.ca
>    web: https://chrisirwin.ca
>
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