I am advancing GNU/Linux-libre beginning with the title.
[begin sarcasm]
To prove my dedication to the cause is greater than yours I'd like to condemn
the Free Software Foundation for calling the system just "GNU/Linux". It's
unforgivable that nobody in the free software community envisioned a day when
the mainline kernel would include non-free software-or that we would have a
new derivative work called “Linux-libre”. I'd also like to apologize on
behalf of ThinkPenguin for not having seen this either.
[/end sarcasm]
For those who know the history of the Linux kernel it wasn't always inclusive
of non-free software. There was even a time when RMS didn't insist on people
calling Linux GNU/Linux. This was a time before the "open source" movement.
ThinkPenguin supports free software on distributions that include some
non-free software. This is no different than what the Free Software
Foundation itself recommends/enables via some of its pages:
“You can install free software applications on your Windows machine and use
them instead of proprietary software from Microsoft and others. “
Source: https://www.fsf.org/working-together/moving/windows
They aren't talking about X Windows here either.
Most people here didn't switch to Trisquel or any other 100% free
distribution overnight. Ensuring users of distributions which include some
non-free software are properly supported is an enabler of free software
adoption.
I have taken steps to convince Debian to change its policy, include the free
firmware package and recommend it to be installed, instead of the nonfree
one.
A few things. Debian core already has a policy of excluding non-free blobs
and the reason for its current inclusion of the ath9k-htc and carl9170
firmware in the non-free repository is complicated. See below for details.
Debian already goes by the name Debian GNU/Linux too... so I'm unsure what
policy or part your trying to change.
ThinkPenguin has also made efforts to get a variety of different
distributions to include carl9170 and ath9k-htc firmware (both under free
software licenses). After talking to different people from a variety of
distributions quite a few responded by including ath9k-htc firmware and/or
fixing related issues.
That said I've corresponded with the Debian package maintainers and can
actually tell you what the problem is/was thats holding the free firmware
back from being included in the main repository. It's the unusual toolchain
and size. Everything in the mainline kernel has to compile in an automated
and standard way. This is the Debian policy. As carl9170 and ath9k-htc do not
follow the norms how one would go about including it is unclear. I don't
claim to have a perfect memory, but this is my recollection of the situation.
And let us not forget the logo is a penguin and GNU mascots weren't among
penguin mascots at the ThinkPenguin stand advertised here.
First of all you know nothing of what I attempted years ago, nor know of the
issues were with licensing, trademarks, etc. If I had chosen a name like
'ThinkGNU' it may have violated an FSF or other entities/persons
trademark/copyright. While I don't recall the exact order of events I did
email the FSF about getting permission to utilize the trademark/copyright.
Unfortunately it seems that the correct email address to send such requests
to goes directly to the bit bucket. I got no response.
While correct we have attended at least one conference without the GNU (I'm
human, I forgot it) we've been to many other conferences with BOTH the GNU
mascot and the penguin mascot in attendance.
It made little difference at the event your referring as we also always use
Trisquel as the distribution on the laptops on display and talk about free
software, and non-free software issues. At the most recent non-GNU/Linux and
not freedom-oriented event we attended (with about 3000 people I believe) you
can see the GNU mascot, one of the Trisquel case badges, on of the computers
with a 'powered by GNU/Linux' case badge on it (white system, lower left),
and the “working together for free software” mouse pads. If you check out
the brochures seen on the table you'll also notice we're primarily talking
about free software using words such as “GNU/Linux” and saying “built
on GNU and Linux”. We're the 1st or 2nd most GNU-friendly and free software
friendly table at every event. The only reason we're often the 2nd is because
the FSF is nearly always in attendance and spouts lots of GNU-merchandise for
sale.
