[gNewSense-users] Fwd: Interested in netbook w/ gNewSense

[Oliver Heard]

Hi,

I've recently been in contact with System76, a vendor of Ubuntu GNU
Linux systems. I have been posting my correspondence with the company
to the gnewsense-dev mailing list, but it has been brought to my
attention that users of gNewSense may also be interested in the
information obtained.

Below you will find the correspondence in its entirety. I currently
have other tasks to work on before I begin determining whether
gNewSense will likely run on their netbook machine, but I will post to
this list once I begin and keep you all updated.

Regards,
Oliver


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Oliver Heard <address@hidden>
Date: 2009/6/26
Subject: Fwd: Interested in netbook w/ gNewSense
To: address@hidden


I have received another reply from System76 with the output of lspci
and lsusb from their Starling netbook machine. Additionally is
included a link to their custom patches for their machines.

I intend to go over the hardware and determine whether a 100% free
distro like gNewSense will run on these systems without any
limitations. It appears their custom patches are licensed under GPLv2.

Below is the forwarded message.

Regards,
Oliver


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carl J. Richell <address@hidden>
Date: 2009/6/26
Subject: Re: Interested in netbook w/ gNewSense
To: Oliver Heard <address@hidden>
Cc: System76 Sales <address@hidden>


Hi Oliver,

Below is the lspci and lsusb from our Starling. The System76 driver is
free... and all source code. It essentially applies patches so that
all components work in current and future Ubuntu releases. Some
customers use the source code to apply fixes for other distro's. See
the source here:

http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~system76-dev/system76-driver/2.1/files

lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Memory
Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME
Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME,
943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High
Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express
Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express
Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2
EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface
Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family)
SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 02)


lsusb

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0bda:8189 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8187B
Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Network Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 064e:a127 Suyin Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Best,

Carl

----- "Oliver Heard" <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I was unable to find anything
> pertaining to running gNewSense on your forum. On your website you
> don't fully list the hardware used in your machines, where can I find
> full specifications? This would greatly assist me in determining
> whether gNewSense will run on your machines.
>
> Additionally in your reply, you mention a "System76 driver", is this
> driver Free Software (as in freedom)? If so, where can the software
> be
> obtained in case of future necessity?
>
> Thanks,
> Oliver
>
> 2009/6/26 System76 Sales <address@hidden>:
> > Hi, Oliver.
> >
> > Thank you for your interest in System76.
> >
> > We do not install or support gNewSense, and I've not gotten any
> feedback from customers indicating they have tried it. You may want to
> post on our forums to see if anyone is using it...
> >
> > http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=341
> >
> > We have to apply a few patches to the Starling via our System76
> driver, so I would be surprised if it worked out of the box with
> gNewSense. However, it shouldn't be very hard to get it working.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Best Regards,
> > Tom Aaron
> > System 76 Sales and Support
> > address@hidden
> > 720-226-9269 x603
> >
> > Follow System76 on Twitter or identi.ca!
> > http://twitter.com/system76
> > http://identi.ca/system76
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Oliver Heard" <address@hidden>
> > To: address@hidden
> > Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 9:59:19 AM (GMT-0700) America/Denver
> > Subject: Interested in netbook w/ gNewSense
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'm interested in purchasing one of your netbook machines when I
> begin
> > my university course in September this year.
> >
> > However, I would like to run a fully free operating system, namely
> > gNewSense. Can you tell me the exact specifications for your
> netbooks,
> > whether they will run gNewSense (including any limitations), and if
> > so, do you have any intentions of offering gNewSense preinstalled
> on
> > your machines (preinstallation is not a prerequisite to me
> purchasing
> > a machine, being able to run gNewSense however, is)?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Oliver
> >