79 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
79 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Libreboot project
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...
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Libreboot is
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[freedom-respecting](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) *boot
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firmware* that initializes the hardware (e.g. memory controller, CPU,
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peripherals) on [specific Intel/AMD x86 computers](docs/hardware/) and starts
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a bootloader for your operating system. [GNU+Linux](docs/gnulinux/)
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and [BSD](docs/bsd/) are well-supported. It replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI
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firmware. Help is available
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via [\#libreboot](https://web.libera.chat/#libreboot)
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on [Libera](https://libera.chat/) IRC.
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The latest version is [Libreboot 20210522](news/libreboot20210522.md), released
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on 22 May 2021. It is a testing release.
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Free your BIOS today! GNU GPL style
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-----------------------------------
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<div class="left">
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<video controls="controls" poster="//static.fsf.org/nosvn/rms-photos/20140407-geneva-01.png" style="width:300px; padding:0; margin:0;" src="https://audio-video.gnu.org/video/TEDxGE2014_Stallman05_LQ.webm" type="video/webm">
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RMS video
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</video>
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</div>
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You have rights. The right to privacy, freedom of thought, freedom of speech
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and the right to read. [Free
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software](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) gives you these rights.
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Your freedom matters.
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[Right to repair](https://vid.puffyan.us/watch?v=Npd_xDuNi9k) matters.
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Many people use [proprietary](https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary.html)
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boot firmware, even if they use [GNU+Linux](https://www.gnu.org/distros/).
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Non-free firmware often [contains](faq.html#intel) [backdoors](faq.html#amd),
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and can be buggy. Libreboot was founded in in December 2013, with the express
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purpose of making Free Software accessible for non-technical users at the
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firmware level. Libreboot can be called Open Source, [but you should call it
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Free
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Software](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.en.html).
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Libreboot uses [coreboot](https://www.coreboot.org/) for [hardware
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initialization](https://doc.coreboot.org/getting_started/architecture.html).
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Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install for most non-technical users; it
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handles only basic initialization and jumps to a separate
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[payload](https://doc.coreboot.org/payloads.html) program (e.g.
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[GRUB](https://www.gnu.org/software/grub/),
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[Tianocore](https://www.tianocore.org/)), which must also be configured.
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*Libreboot solves this problem*; it is a *coreboot distribution* with
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an [automated build system](docs/build/) that builds complete *ROM images*, for
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more robust installation. Documentation is provided.
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[{.right}](https://av.vimuser.org/0001.jpg)
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Libreboot has advanced features like
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[encrypted /boot/](docs/gnulinux/encrypted_debian.md) and [GPG support](docs/gnulinux/grub_hardening.html).
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Binary blobs are excluded, making Libreboot *100% free
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software*, [endorsed by the Free Software
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Foundation](https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/replace-your-proprietary-bios-with-libreboot).
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It has
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[helped](https://www.gnu.org/education/how-i-fought-to-graduate-without-using-non-free-software.html)
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many people, [including the FSF, GNU
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project](https://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2017/fall/six-months-of-equipment-upgrades-at-the-fsf)
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and [even Richard Stallman](https://stallman.org/stallman-computing.html).
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How to help
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-----------
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Check the [tasks](tasks/) page and pick a task to work on. You can also check
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bugs listed on the [bug tracker](https://notabug.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues).
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If you spot a bug and have a fix, [here are instructions for how to send
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patches](git.md), and you can also report it. Also, this entire website is
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written in Markdown and hosted in a [separate
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repository](https://notabug.org/libreboot/lbwww) where you can send patches.
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Libreboot development discussion and user support are all done on the IRC
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channel. More information is on the [contact page](contact.md).
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