GNewSense

gNewSense is "a GNU/Linux project, to take all the binary blobs out of a rather popular distribution(*) and make it all free".

"On November 2nd, the FSF announced the first release of gNewSense, a free GNU/Linux distribution based on Debian and Ubuntu.. The project has produced a fully functional LiveCD liveCD with installer, complete main and "universe" repositories, a website, a wiki, bug tracking and a user mailing list."

"It has the ease and stability of Ubuntu and it uses a current kernel which has had all the non-free binary blobs removed from it. Binary blobs are executable code bits without source contained in the Linux kernel that get loaded onto hardware.."

"In addition the gNewSense repositories are verified to contain only free software, and the software which communicates between the proprietary Ubuntu web application and the users' desktop has been disabled"

"The name gNewSense is partially in honor of RMS's sometimes nickname, "Chief of GNUisance".."

"The primary goal was freedom - all the sofware down through the kernel must be free. This first required identfiying the binary blobs that do not provide source or documentation. Then the blobs had to be removed and the kernel and Debian pckaging reworked so the the resulting system would be stable and viable.."

(text excerpts from the "Free Software Foundation Bulletin, Issue 9, December 2006 'Presenting gNewSense: a fully free GNU/Linux' p. 4ff)


 * gNewsense.org


 * gNewsense Wiki


 * gNewsense Download


 * How to create your own GNU/Linux distribution


 * Differences between Ubuntu and gNewSense


 * LiveCD gnewsense-livecd-1.0.iso


 * IRC: #gnewsense on Freenode