[Trisquel-users] Re : Some current free software friendly hardware

[magicbanana]

Stallman's position on free hardware looks clear to me. As far as I  
understand, he considers that, today, the freedoms defining "free software"  
cannot be applied to hardware because no individual can build her own  
hardware; even less copy some existing hardware. The fact is: we all depend  
on mass-produced hardware. This will remain so for years or, more probably,  
decades. Therefore, rms does not bother to consider this problem that has not  
arisen. When and if it arises, it ought to be understood solved with the new  
technology that will be then available.

Now, rms cares about "free software" up to the drivers and firmware. That is  
why he cares about "documented hardware". The documentation is self contained  
in free drivers/firmware if the manufacturer provides them. Otherwise, the  
free software must be able to develop those and documentation helps a lot. If  
no documentation is available, the free software community has to rely on  
tedious reverse-engineering (a great contribution to achieve). Whatever the  
way the free drivers/firmware are obtained, the hardware is then, according  
to rms, freedom respecting: anybody can use it running only free software.