I am in the process of looking for a source of new, modern, 100% free
hardware on which to run Trisquel. I'd like to accomplish this by next
September (2014).
I am aware of ThinkPenguin which is great. I have purchased stuff there.
However I am after the elusive 100% free, open, documented hardware that will
run Trisquel.
With this goal in mind, I have started to research things that exist right
now and wish to share my findings so far.
quidam in his March 2013 keynote,
http://quidam.cc/01-04-2013/talk-libreplanet-2013 at around 33 minutes in
talks about an ARM version of Trisquel.
Free accelerated 3D graphics drivers have become available.
http://limadriver.org/
https://gitorious.org/lima
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l92S3wg2iSU
Excellent background from the guy who reverse engineered it.
http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/fosdem//2013/maintracks/K.1.105/Open_ARM_GPU_drivers.webm
Using this GPU:
http://malideveloper.arm.com/develop-for-mali/drivers/open-source-mali-gpus-linux-kernel-device-drivers/
which is very popular. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_%28GPU%29
System on a chip SoC cards, which power tablets, and phones, are quite
powerful computers right now.
http://www.allwinnertech.com/en/product/A13.html also A10, A10s, and A20. The
A20 is dual core.
http://limadriver.org/Hardware/#Allwinner+A10
http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/
This board, also an A10s https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/
is part of an open-hardware project.
https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/ The board is similar to the
Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone cards which aren't as free in terms of their
hardware. The little cards can do amazing things and cost less than USD $100.
Ubuntu already supports ARM.
Some of the tablets using such hardware are so powerful that with various
docks, a free lap dock notebook, or a free desk top, ought to be possible.
These parts and projects get us into the 100% free, open, documented hardware
arena, but there is a lot more to figure out. Seeing this though, I am
excited. Things exist. Right now.
If anyone knows more, or how to pinpoint, or to expand, what is going on in
these markets, or with similar products, please let me know.
I will continue digging.
This is an interesting video using an OLinuXino board:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0q2e6u_vc4&feature=share&list=PL6-W3FoUyb4-hwrYcNDHPrU9uykcuAgLm
