jonathan carter

Gnewsense 1.0 released

// November 3rd, 2006 // Free Software

As an FSF member, I’m delighted to see Gnewsense 1.0 released. Gnewsense has been previously known as Gnubuntu and Ubuntu-libre, and is an Ubuntu based distribution with all the non-free code removed. This is good news for people like me who believe that a distribution should be released with only free software. I can understand that Ubuntu adds proprietary code to make the life of its users easier, but as someone who works on an Ubuntu derivative, I would like to see my distribution stay pure, and Gnewsense will make that easier. I haven’t figured out how to use the clean kernels from Gnewsense in Ubuntu yet, but I don’t think that it would be too difficult. The only computer I have that really needs anything proprietary is my laptop, where I need some firmware for my ipw3495 wireless card. The rest of them I can quite easily convert to Gnewsense.

While we’re on the subject, I urge anyone who has US$10 a month so spare for Free Software to become an FSF member. You make a contribution of US$10 a month, and the FSF will use that money to sponsor project such as this, GNU Gnash, and more. It’s an ideal way to contribute to free software, especially if you don’t have any coding skills, or if you don’t have any time.

Props to FSF for funding this!