FSF Publish New List Of Truly Free Linux Distributions

Sep 15, 2009

Whoever thought that Debian, Ubuntu or Fedora consist solely of free software would be wrong. The new list compiled by the Free Software Foundation showing truly free distributions has a mere nine entries.

Amongst the distributions classified by the Foundation as genuinely free are not the big names that most of us would expect to find. Top of the list is the FSF sponsored gNewSense, a derivative of Debian and Ubuntu, that uses 100% free software. In the latest release, gNewSense 2.3, the developers have, for example, removed the mono programs Tomboy and F-Spot and replaced them with gNotes and gThumb.

Also included on the list are Ututo, Dragora, Dynebolic, Musix GNU+Linux, BLAG, Trisquel, Venenux and Kongoni, the South African distro that finds itself on the list of totally free software for the first time.

Related content

  • FSF's Free Distros

    The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of GNU/Linux distributions that meet their strict standards for free software – and your distro probably doesn't qualify. Meet the distros that pass the test.

    more »
  • The Linux-libre Project

    The Linux kernel and its penguin mascot are widely viewed as the symbol of free and open source software. The truth, however, is that the Linux kernel is only partly free.

    more »
  • FSF Settles with Cisco over Licensing

    In December 2008, the Free Software Foundation (FSF) filed a lawsuit against network giant Cisco, claiming that its subsidiary Linksys had multiple violations of the GPL. The two parties have now reached an agreement.

    more »
  • Debian Kernel Has No Proprietary Firmware

    Debian developer Robert Millan is offering an alternative kernel for Debian's Lenny free Linux distro. Unlike the standard Lenny kernel, it contains no proprietary firmware.

    more »
  • Welcome

    This article went to press one week before Richard Stallman abruptly resigned as head of the Free Software Foundation. Yikes! All is flux in the FOSS world. Still, the trend toward détente between Microsoft and the Free Software community is bound to continue, and these thoughts on Stallman’s recent visit to Redmond offer a glimpse into how real change happens – one small step at a time.

    more »

Comments

  • main

    I didn't read the link but I don't understand how Debian Main ("Debian"blunk isn't 100% free.

  • Is less really more?

    In short, those are distributions that restrict your freedom by making it impossible to install non-free software.

    I'd rather see a distribution that makes it easy to choose whether you want it to be 100% free, something like Gentoo's glep 23: http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/glep/glep-0023.html
    It was not implemented yet last time I checked.
    Or give us at least some kind of warning when you want to install proprietary software.

    I really do want to be able to choose what I install on my box and not delegate that choice to integrists even though I am very close to being an integrist myself, but the difference is that I apply my integrism on myself alone and not onto others.

  • Momo

    Mono is from M$. M$ is EVIL. NUFF SAID!

  • Why the mono bashing

    What's wrong with mono? It's open source and it works. If it ever becomes non-free we can remove it then, but i don't understand all the hatred right now.

  • Not quite...

    It would be a good idea to read the page a bit more closely. The FSF makes it clear that these are not the *only* distributions that contain just free software, but rather, distributions they recommend. They recommend them because they do not have utilities built in to encourage people to install non-free software.

  • RE: Pointless

    Well, to each his own.

    Wouldn't hardware compatibility just be (largely) dependant on what kernel version said distro runs, too?

  • Pointless

    What is the point? A hardware compatibility list would be more useful.
comments powered by Disqus

Issue 245/2021

Buy this issue as a PDF

Digital Issue: Price $12.99
(incl. VAT)

News

Tag Cloud

Administration Community Desktop Events Hardware Linux Linux Pro Magazine Mobile Programming Software Ubuntu Web Development Windows free software open source