[Dev] Misleading information in EOMA68 news

[Tiberiu-Cezar Tehnoetic]

On 16.08.2016 17:57, Josh Branning wrote:
>> What do other people on this list think? Should we avoid using the term
>> "free software friendly" or there is no reason not to use it?
> 
> I think the article is misleading as it's written at the moment, (by
> stating it's "libre hardware" rather than "with an open specification").

RMS recommends we avoid using "open" for anything related to computers,
in order to not seem we endorse the "open source" term and confuse users
regarding where we in the free software community stand in this
fundamental matter. This includes avoiding the term "open standards".
Instead, we should use "free standards" if the standard is published as
documentation under a free license.

Maybe a better wording than "with an open specification" would be "with
publicly available schematics" (or "specification").

Quoting the designer, "Full schematics [are] available."
https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68/micro-desktop

Please note that in the campaign's text he doesn't specify if the
schematics are available under a free license nor he links to the
schematics (but he specifies that for the "3D-printed casework design
files"; he says that those [are] available under GPLv3 license").
However, if this is the specification:

http://elinux.org/Embedded_Open_Modular_Architecture/EOMA-68

then I gather that it's under CC BY-SA 3.0. I couldn't find the
schematics PDF Luke was telling us about. Probably he will publish it
after his volunteers review it? I don't know.

> In regards to free software friendly, it isn't 100%; totally, as there
> is no way to run the GPU using free software. And the same problem
> exists if one were to claim it 100% "respects your freedom", so I can't
> see how saying something is "free software friendly" is much better, as
> the same problem(s) exist(s) in both wordings.

I see your point. But I was asking more, if it makes sense to add "free
software friendly" to the list of words to avoid:

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.en.html

> Perhaps focusing on the positive features, like stating that it can boot
> up using only free software, is pre-installed with parabola, etc.

I would also add here that the Embedded Controller is free software.

> whilst
> perhaps also admitting it's apparent flaws (like the lack of libre GPU
> drivers), would be the most accurate, honest, and least deceptive way to
> describe EOMA68 when writing an article on the subject. 

I agree.

My question still stands, do someone share my opinion that "free
software friendly" should be avoided and added to the list of infamous
words to avoid? https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.en.html

Thanks,
Tiberiu

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