[HN Gopher] Libreboot 20230319 Released
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       Libreboot 20230319 Released
        
       Author : leahlibre
       Score  : 132 points
       Date   : 2023-03-19 13:49 UTC (9 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (libreboot.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (libreboot.org)
        
       | NovaDudely wrote:
       | Any release of Libreboot is a good release! Mind you any
       | free/libre software is good software. ;)
       | 
       | While I am still a tiny little bit on edge about the changes to
       | the project in terms of use of binary blobs - it is better to be
       | going this path than to merely be theoretically free.
       | 
       | The old Core 2 Duo Thinkpad laptops are a dwindling supply. That
       | said I still love mine dearly and it is my daily runner. I
       | purchase a T400 from Leah about 5 years ago and it is still going
       | strong!
        
       | Cupprum wrote:
       | I am very much happy to see that this project is alive again and
       | regularly releasing updates. Amazing job Leah Rowe :)
        
       | Kwpolska wrote:
       | The question is, why should I bother, as a regular user? What
       | will libreboot improve on my x86_64 PC if all I need is the
       | ability to boot into my preferred operating system and I don't
       | care about "freedom", considering the machine already contains
       | stuff like Intel ME that libreboot can't disable?
        
         | jchmrt wrote:
         | Obviously if you don't care about software freedom, libreboot
         | is not for you. That does not detract from the goals of the
         | project.
        
         | einpoklum wrote:
         | If you recognize Intel ME as a problem - so if the general
         | firmware on the motherboard which libreboot replaces. One of
         | two (?) steps towards only running code on our computers which
         | we can see and analyze; or at least, that knowledgeable people
         | can analyze.
        
         | steponlego wrote:
         | Why's it always Poland with these types of comments? You're
         | destroying the Internet. I think sooner or later we're going to
         | have to build a Great Butthurt Belt Wall to conatin you and
         | Estonia.
         | 
         | Stop it. NOW.
        
         | rhn_mk1 wrote:
         | x86 is not the only architecture supported by
         | coreboot/libreboot.
        
         | opan wrote:
         | Hardware whitelist removal on laptops. I think you can also put
         | a small alpine image in your flash to boot from.
        
       | aloisdg wrote:
       | Nice usage of calver :)
        
         | cwillu wrote:
         | Dunno, seems like a great demonstration of a weakness: "This is
         | marked as a testing release." That used to be information the
         | version number contained, now you have to find the small print
         | that happens to mention it on the release notes.
        
           | Kwpolska wrote:
           | It seems that all of their recent releases are either testing
           | releases ([1] [2]), or bug fix releases relative to testing
           | releases ([3]), or bug fix releases relative to bug fix
           | releases relative to testing releases ([4]).
           | 
           | [1] https://libreboot.org/news/libreboot20210522.html
           | 
           | [2] https://libreboot.org/news/libreboot20221214.html
           | 
           | [3] https://libreboot.org/news/libreboot20211122.html
           | 
           | [4] https://libreboot.org/news/libreboot20220710.html
        
       | einpoklum wrote:
       | It seems there are still only very few desktop and laptop
       | motherboards which are supported. Which may not be the project
       | developers' fault, but it can still only be used by rather few
       | people. :-(
        
       | royjacobs wrote:
       | Whenever I see news about libreboot the first thing that happens
       | in my brain is that I somehow associate it with a library that
       | handles rebooting. Takes a few seconds every time to, well,
       | reboot my thoughts.
        
         | HeckFeck wrote:
         | > library that handles rebooting
         | 
         | I know that one from somewhere, I think it is used heavily
         | throughout Windows update.
        
           | sebazzz wrote:
           | Actually, Windows (Update) is quite capable of hotpatching
           | in-memory code. That why you can find two "mov eax, eax"
           | instructions at the start of some functions. They allow
           | hotpatching a long jmp there.
        
       | russfink wrote:
       | So how does this differ from making your own unified kernel
       | image, ie a self-contained EFI boot file made from dracut or
       | other? And does it work better with Secure Boot?
        
         | Kwpolska wrote:
         | Libreboot is a libre firmware replacement, not a bootloader. I
         | doubt you'll get Secure Boot with it.
        
           | LukeShu wrote:
           | You can absolutely secure your boot with libreboot.
        
       | FloatArtifact wrote:
       | What's the difference between libreboot versus coreboot?
        
         | 2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote:
         | I had the same question. It appears that libreboot is a
         | downstream of coreboot.
        
         | guilhas wrote:
         | Libreboot use to be coreboot without non-free binary blobs, but
         | recently they decided to include them
         | 
         | So one might argue they are not libre anymore, more like
         | "open"boot
         | 
         | As it has been increasingly difficult to find hardware
         | supporting open-source firmware. And run a machine where you
         | have access to all source for firmware, OS, drivers, software
        
         | 6581 wrote:
         | https://libreboot.org/#how-does-libreboot-differ-from-regula...
        
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       (page generated 2023-03-19 23:01 UTC)