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Title: Raspberry Pi RAM Debacle
Date: October 9, 2026

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  The Free Software Foundation just posted about how the
Raspberry Pi is blocking devices from booting with altered
memory, even replaced memory, on the firmware level. I have
to say, I'm severely disappointed in the company yet again.

  As someone who looks toward such small low-powered SBCs
as a way to do easy computing through alternative power, I
was wanting to get a Pi 500(+) to use with a decent low
wattage monitor for my desk setup. However, repairability
is a must for me, and seeing them pull this stunt in the
firmware is an instant loss of my interest in the products.
Enough that I doubt I'll look at their products moving
forward.

  I mean, I'm sitting here using a laptop in a low power
state, but I was hoping to have something separate that I
could use desk-side while keeping my laptop as a laptop to
work from elsewhere. Something where I'm not keeping the
laptop on AC power constantly for long periods of time.

  I just wish some of the alternative would get some better
support. I know they're doing what they can, but it's kinda
difficult to drop money on a newish device if I don't know
whether the hardware support is going to be available while
I'm using it. I already have that problem with this laptop,
as the nVidia hybrid GPU it has is problematic at best. It
mostly stays on the Intel GPU, but being able to completely
disable the nVidia one would be nice.

  If someone does know of an alterantive with some decent
hardware support under Debian (or maybe even a *BSD?),
please let me know. My email is on my gopherhole's main
menu, or just look below[1]. I definitely appreciate any
suggestions I can get on that front.

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[0]: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/2026-raspberry-pi
[1]: gallowsgryph@disroot.org