<h1 id="fsfendorsesembeddedgnulinuxdistroproteanosasfullyfree">FSF endorses embedded GNU/Linux distro ProteanOS as fully free</h1>
<p>http://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-endorses-embedded-gnu-linux-distro-proteanos-as-fully-free</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html">The FSF's list</a> consists
of ready-to-use full GNU/Linux systems whose developers have made a
commitment to follow the <a href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html">Guidelines for Free System
Distributions</a>.
This means each distro includes and steers users toward exclusively free
software. All distros on this list reject nonfree software, including
firmware "blobs" and nonfree documentation.</p>
<p><a href="http://proteanos.com">ProteanOS</a> is a new, small, and fast distribution
that primarily targets embedded devices, but is also being designed to
be part of the boot system of laptops and other devices. The lead
maintainer of ProteanOS is P. J. McDermott, who is working closely with
the <a href="http://libreboot.org">Libreboot</a> project and hopes to have
ProteanOS be part of the boot system of Libreboot-compatible devices.</p>
<p>"ProteanOS combines the ease of installation of a binary distribution
with the flexibility of a source distribution or build system: its
platform configuration feature allows binary packages to be configured
at build-time and run-time for different hardware and use cases," said
McDermott.</p>
<p>The distro is being independently developed and is not based on other
distributions. Users and potential contributors will find a complete
toolchain with which the distro can build all of its own packages. Those
interested in contributing to ProteanOS can start by <a href="http://lists.proteanos.com">joining the
project mailing list</a> and looking over the
<a href="http://proteanos.com/dev/">developer documentation</a>.</p>
<h3 id="aboutthefreesoftwarefoundation">About the Free Software Foundation</h3>
<p>The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting
computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute
computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as
in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its
GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The FSF
also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues of
freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at fsf.org
and gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux.
Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at
<a href="https://my.fsf.org/donate/">https://my.fsf.org/donate/</a>. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.</p>
<p>More information about the FSF, as well as important information for
journalists and publishers, is at <a href="https://www.fsf.org/press">https://www.fsf.org/press</a>.</p>
<h3 id="aboutthegnuoperatingsystemandlinux">About the GNU Operating System and Linux</h3>
<p>Richard Stallman announced in September 1983 the plan to develop a free
software Unix-like operating system called GNU. GNU is the only
operating system developed specifically for the sake of users' freedom.
See <a href="https://www.gnu.org/gnu/the-gnu-project.html">https://www.gnu.org/gnu/the-gnu-project.html</a>.</p>
<p>In 1992, the essential components of GNU were complete, except for one,
the kernel. When in 1992 the kernel Linux was re-released under the GNU
GPL, making it free software, the combination of GNU and Linux formed a
complete free operating system, which made it possible for the first
time to run a PC without non-free software. This combination is the
GNU/Linux system. For more explanation, see
<a href="https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html">https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html</a>.</p>
<h3 id="mediacontacts">Media Contacts</h3>
<p>Joshua Gay <br />
Licensing & Compliance Manager <br />
Free Software Foundation <br />
+1 (617) 542 5942 <br />
<a href="mailto:licensing@fsf.org">licensing@fsf.org</a> </p>
<h3> </h3>