Re: [gNewSense-users] Is Debian now fully free? (Dennis Worthem)

[Sam Geeraerts]

Paul Roge wrote:
> After installing gnewsense parkes (same as gnewsense 3.0, right?) on a yeeloong 
> laptop via debootstrap, the system seems to work fine. It would appear to be a 
> replicate of debian squeeze with a few packages removed.

Parkes is currently not maintained as fully free, but rather "work in 
progress". It's backend setup is not workable in the long term.

> This is what I have encountered thus far that in my opinion could be improved...
>
> * include libreoffice (available in debian backport, openoffice isn't available 
> in gnewsense parkes)
> * include icecat (iceweasel isn't available in gnewsense parkes)
> * fix xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion (on yeeloong must still remove 
> siliconmotion driver or install xserver from anheng repository to have an 
> operational X11)
> * fix bug #32865 so that folks don't have to debootstrap
> * include fsfla kernels (for mipsel, currently only malta and cobalt available)
> * fix more recent fsfla kernels to have wireless driver activated (>2.6.38, "# 
> CONFIG_RTL8187B is not set"). Earlier kernels in the fsfla metad repository work fine 
> (<2.6.38).

I'm working towards fixing bug #32865. I don't know when/if the rest 
will happen.

> I am not a developer, but would like to help.

Work on Parkes is mostly a developer effort now. You could start working 
on your suggestions though, e.g. test LibreOffice, contact FSFLA about 
wireless, ...