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diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3b7dd1f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,161 @@ +Free your BIOS today! GNU GPL style +=================================== + +Find libreboot documentation at <https://libreboot.org/> + +Libreboot is +[freedom-respecting](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) +*boot firmware* that initializes the hardware (e.g. +memory controller, CPU, peripherals) in your computer so that software can run. +Libreboot then starts a bootloader to load your operating system. It replaces the +proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware typically found on a computer. Libreboot is +compatible with specific computer models that use the Intel/AMD x86 +architecture. Libreboot works well with GNU+Linux and BSD +operating systems. User support is available +at [\#libreboot](https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=libreboot) on Freenode +IRC. + +Libreboot is a *Free Software* project, but can be considered Open Source. +[The GNU website](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.en.html) +teaches why you should call it Free Software instead; alternatively, you may +call it libre software. + +Libreboot uses [coreboot](https://www.coreboot.org/) for hardware initialization. +However, *coreboot* is notoriously difficult to compile and install for most +non-technical users. There are many complicated configuration steps required, +and coreboot by itself is useless; coreboot only handles basic hardware +initialization, and then jumps to a separate *payload* program. The payload +program can be anything, for example a Linux kernel, bootloader (such as +GNU GRUB), UEFI implementation (such as Tianocore) or BIOS implementation +(such as SeaBIOS). While not quite as complicated as building a GNU+Linux +distribution from scratch, it may aswell be as far as most non-technical users +are concerned. + +Libreboot solves this problem in a novel way: +Libreboot is a *coreboot distribution* much like Debian is a *GNU+Linux +distribution*. Libreboot provides an *automated build system* that downloads, +patches (where necessary) and compiles coreboot, GNU GRUB, various payloads and +all other software components needed to build a complete, working *ROM image* +that you can install to replace your current BIOS/UEFI firmware, much like a +GNU+Linux distribution (e.g. Debian) provides an ISO image that you can use to +replace your current operating system (e.g. Windows). + +Information about who works on Libreboot, and who runs the project, can be +found on the [who page](https://libreboot.org/who.html) page. + +Why use Libreboot? +================== + +[Free software](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) is important for +the same reason that education is important. +All children and adults alike should be entitled to a good education. +Knowledge begs to be free! In the context of computing, this means that the +source code should be fully available to study, and use in whatever way you +see fit. In the context of computer hardware, this means that +[Right to Repair](https://yewtu.be/watch?v=Npd_xDuNi9k) +should be universal, with full access to documents such as the schematics and +boardview files. + +**[The four freedoms are paramount!](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html)** + +You have rights. The right to privacy, freedom of thought, freedom +of speech and the right to read. In the context of computing, that means anyone +can use [free software](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html). Simply +speaking, free software is software that is under the direct sovereignty of the +user and, more importantly, the collective that is the *community*. Libreboot +is dedicated to the Free Software community, with the aim of making free software +at a *low level* more accessible to non-technical people. + +Many people use [proprietary](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/proprietary.html) +boot firmware, even if they use GNU+Linux. Non-free boot firmware often +contains backdoors, can be slow and have severe +bugs. Development and support can be abandoned at any time. By contrast, +Libreboot is a free software project, where anyone can contribute or inspect +its code. + +Libreboot is faster, more secure and more reliable than most non-free +firmware. Libreboot provides many advanced features, like encrypted +/boot/, GPG signature checking before booting a Linux kernel and more! +Libreboot gives *you* control over *your* computing. + +Project goals +------------- + +- *Recommend and distribute only free software*. Coreboot + distributes certain pieces of proprietary software which is needed + on some systems. Examples can include things like CPU microcode + updates, memory initialization blobs and so on. The coreboot project + sometimes recommends adding more blobs which it does not distribute, + such as the Video BIOS or Intel's *Management Engine*. However, a + lot of dedicated and talented individuals in coreboot work hard to + replace these blobs whenever possible. +- *Support as much hardware as possible!* Libreboot supports less + hardware than coreboot, because most systems from coreboot still + require certain proprietary software to work properly. Libreboot is + an attempt to support as much hardware as possible, without any + proprietary software. +- *Make coreboot easy to use*. Coreboot is notoriously difficult + to install, due to an overall lack of user-focused documentation + and support. Most people will simply give up before attempting to + install coreboot. + +Libreboot attempts to bridge this divide by providing a build system +automating much of the coreboot image creation and customization. +Secondly, the project produces documentation aimed at non-technical users. +Thirdly, the project attempts to provide excellent user support via mailing +lists and IRC. + +Libreboot already comes with a payload (GRUB), flashrom and other +needed parts. Everything is fully integrated, in a way where most of +the complicated steps that are otherwise required, are instead done +for the user in advance. + +You can download ROM images for your libreboot system and install +them without having to build anything from source. If, however, you are +interested in building your own image, the build system makes it relatively +easy to do so. + +Not a coreboot fork! +-------------------- + +Libreboot is not a fork of coreboot. Every so often, the project +re-bases on the latest version of coreboot, with the number of custom +patches in use minimized. Tested, *stable* (static) releases are then provided +in Libreboot, based on specific coreboot revisions. + +Coreboot is not entirely free software. It has binary blobs in it for some +platforms. What Libreboot does is download several revisions of coreboot, for +different boards, and *de-blob* those coreboot revisions. This is done using +the *linux-libre* deblob scripts, to find binary blobs in coreboot. + +All new coreboot development should be done in coreboot (upstream), not +libreboot! Libreboot is about deblobbing and packaging coreboot in a +user-friendly way, where most work is already done for the user. + +For example, if you wanted to add a new board to libreboot, you should +add it to coreboot first. Libreboot will automatically receive your code +at a later date, when it updates itself. + +The deblobbed coreboot tree used in libreboot is referred to as +*coreboot-libre*, to distinguish it as a component of *libreboot*. + +A coreboot *fork* is planned for the future. Nowadays, coreboot drops support +for boards that are "unmaintained", which in some cases just means that nobody +submitted a new status update (to the *board-status* repository), so nowadays +Libreboot must maintain multiple versions of coreboot. This is unsustainable, +so a fork is planned, re-adding all of the deleted boards, backporting newer +coreboot features and, possibly, having support for those boards re-merged +upstream, where coreboot and the fork will share code back and forth. As of +27 April 2021, work on this fork has not yet begun. + +LICENSE FOR THIS README: +GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 as published by the Free Software Foundation, +with no invariant sections, no front cover texts and no back cover texts. If +you wish it, you may use a later version of the GNU Free Documentation License +as published by the Free Software Foundation. + +Copy of the GNU Free Documentation License v1.3 here: +<https://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl-1.3.en.html> + +Info about Free Software Foundation: +<https://www.fsf.org/> |