[Dev] New project: gNewSenseToMips-3A

[Michael Dorrington]

On 05/12/12 22:22, Samy Boutayeb wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am glad to announce the creation of the gNewSenseToMips-3A project
> [1], which aim is to port the GNU/Linux GNewSense distribution on the
> Loongson 3A hardware, beginning with the 3A laptop.
> 
> This project enjoys the support from Loongson, which developed the 3A
> cpu, from Lemote, which manufactured the 3A platforms, and from an
> international network of free software/hardware hackers and developers.

Does this project enjoy support from the FSF?

> We will appreciate your contribution.
> 
> Let's discuss and share on this free hardware/software project in the

Is the Loongson 3A laptop (Yeeloong 8133?) free hardware?

The last thing I read was interview with RMS where he said that he used
a Yeeloong but specifically that it was *not* the new one [8133] as it
need non-free firmware for the video.  These need answering for the 8133:

1. A list of all the non-free firmware inside the hardware.

2. Is that non-free firmware inside the hardware currently replaceable
with a free version?

3. What non-free firmware in software is required to run the hardware?
(Such as, to display on the screen, use an external display or to use
the wired Ethernet.)

4. What are the features of the hardware when run with maximum free
software on it?  (Such as, does the Ethernet only do 100 Mbps rather
that 1 Gbps, can it still display to an external screen.)

5. Is the 8133 a step back in terms of software freedom compared to the
8101 and 8089?

6. Are Lemote going to work to getting any required patches into
upstream?  (For instance patches to Xorg?  The Xorg patches for 8101 and
8089 are still not in upstream AFAIK and from what I can tell Lemote
didn't try to get them upstream.)

People are free to work on what they want but, depending on the answers,
from a software freedom point of view it might be better improving the
software for 8101 and 8089.

Regards,
Mike.
-- 
FSF member #9429
http://www.fsf.org/register_form?referrer=9429
http://www.fsf.org/about
"The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide
mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all
free software users."

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