Hello,
In our continuous pursuit of a world where digital access and freedom are unalienable rights, the imperative to embark on a bold, collaborative journey towards creating a 100% free firmware/free software-based computer has never been more critical. This initiative, transcending beyond mere technological innovation, represents a fundamental pillar in spreading democratic values globally. It invites a concerted effort from nations like the United States, alongside international partners, to champion this cause as a testament to our collective commitment to democracy, accessibility, and economic sustainability.
Economic Sustainability and Accessibility
The proposition of developing and distributing a computer that runs entirely on free software is not only a technological breakthrough but a significant economic opportunity. By leveraging the principles of free software, we ensure that the resulting technology is accessible, modifiable, and distributable by anyone, thereby drastically reducing costs associated with proprietary licenses and hardware constraints. Such cost efficiency makes it economically impractical for any nation to reject this technology, promising a broader reach and deeper impact in bridging the digital divide.
A Democratic Imperative
The essence of democracy is rooted in the freedom of choice and the right to privacy. A globally funded initiative to create a 100% free software computer epitomizes these principles, ensuring that every global citizen can access technology that is inherently designed to be free from government or corporate surveillance and control. This endeavor aligns perfectly with the vision of spreading democracy, as it empowers individuals with the tools for communication, education, and participation in the global digital ecosystem, free from undue interference.
Addressing International Concerns
Critics may argue that such an initiative could inadvertently benefit countries with contrasting political agendas, such as China and Russia, by providing them with advanced technology that could be repurposed. However, this perspective overlooks the transformative power of free software in fostering individual empowerment and autonomy. By making this technology universally accessible, we support the global populace in asserting their rights and freedoms, even within restrictive regimes. The focus is not on the geopolitical chessboard but on uplifting every individual, regardless of their government’s stance on digital freedom.
The Role of the United States and International Community
As a nation that champions the values of freedom and democracy, the United States, alongside other democratic countries, has a pivotal role to play in this initiative. By investing in and supporting the development of a 100% free software computer, we not only advance technological innovation but also reinforce our commitment to spreading democratic ideals. This effort requires a multi-faceted approach, including financial investment, diplomatic engagement, and collaborative research and development, to bring this vision to fruition.
Call to Action
The path to creating a globally accessible, free software-based computer is fraught with challenges, yet it is imbued with the potential for unprecedented global transformation. It calls for an unwavering commitment from all stakeholders involved, from government entities to private sector innovators and civil society advocates. Together, we can dismantle the barriers that stand between millions of people and their right to freely access and engage with the digital world.
As we move forward, let us anchor our efforts in the understanding that technology should serve humanity’s highest ideals—freedom, equality, and democracy. I invite you to join this noble endeavor, to contribute your expertise, resources, and voice to a movement that promises not just a technological revolution, but a leap forward in making our world more open, equitable, and free.
As a nation that champions the values of freedom and democracy, the United States
Ha ha ok I’m out 😂
Doesn’t sound like a fully international effort to me
Bro missed the last 70 years of American politics
Bro missed the last
70247 years of American politics
Two party system, where everyone can’t vote and if you can it won’t be worth the same as your friend or relative.
Spoofers.
And Freedom ©®™
*$99.99amonthYourhomemayberepossessedifyoudonotkeepuppaymentsseewebsitefordetailsyourstatutoryrightsareafuckingjoke
I mean we have RISC-V and Linux (and other FOSS OS’s). IMO the big challenge is to get designers to actually choose these options over the proprietary options that they already know, and then to demonstrate to consumers that free systems can work for them.
Also, obligatory “America bad” segment:
*Insert various fellatory quotes pushing American exceptionalism with respect to creating a free and open-source computer
By its very design, the United States stands against freedom and equality. If they ever claim to want to bring those things to software (or any other field of endeavor), it should be treated as an obvious lie. For this reason, the American government and the capitalists they serve are the last people on Earth I want involved in the design of my future computer, free or otherwise.
🤘🏽this guy fucks🤘🏽
“Fellatory” is just so funny to me, thank you very much for that
Ignoring the fact that the body of this post is very likely LLM-generated, this does seem pretty cool.
I fully support this. The Raspberry Pi Foundation’s corporatism was the last straw for me.
End to end free and open source. RISC-V chipset.
There is already plenty of free and open source technology to create a free and open source computer.
What isn’t free and open source is factories and resources and labor.
…except for when you produce in Xinjiang
By free I think he ment freedom, not free price.
I mean the above still applies. Open source hardware standards and system architectures don’t really matter when you’re still reliant on the same handful of companies in the industry to carry the weight of actually making the hardware.
This post is ironic, but the united states by showing their muscles and forbidding Huawei to use newer arm CPU designs or x86 chips without a specific export license, let the Chinese government to create a secret multibillion fund for RISC -V development
I think the best bet to target if we want 100% blob-free and freedom computer would be open architecture SBCs. They only need to compute and all I/O could be basic devices with no firmware upgrades.
For typical PC and laptop, my opinion is that if you get an AMD system for example, it is enough. I mean, there are still drawbacks most in term of firmware but if there isn’t some revolution coming that could lock Linux’es down, there are betters things to focus on.
And that thing are portables and embedded. Smartphones, ARM netbooks… Because we have no fully working OS for them. PostmartketOS is doing great job, but no reasonable phone with full hardware support. And most people are going to have these and have to suffer from Google/Apple placing whatever those two companies want on them.
We need to make Linux smartphones. Current players seem sketchy.
We have linux „capable“ smartphones such as fairphone, pinephone and such but its really slow and expensive development from what I read. Wanted to try but the price is still quite high for something that works just meh if at all. I would probably need to get my hands on a well configured pinephone to lose my bias.
PinePhone is bad at organising, they got many developers turned around from them. While Fairphone do not develop Linux for their phones, they just don’t disturb.
That sounds pretty bad. From what I read, they are few peeps that focus on phones which is not large field by people and incredibly vast by topics so I suppose they are probably perpetually burned out, leading to bad decisions, bad communication, bad press, less help, more burnout… vicious cycle par excellence.
Is this different than a Linux distro?
This might suprise you, but looking at byte size almost half of the Linux (kernel, to be precise, the part that communicate with hardware) is not open source.
That does surprise me. Looking at the license for the kernel I don’t see any evidence of that. I have had to install non-free drivers that work with my hardware like my NIC but I didn’t accept agreements for the processor or memory or rtc etc.
Can you explain further?
This is all of the bits that aren’t the operating system.
Like One Laptop Per Child?
I don’t think the post was about giving anything for free.
It’s not really clear what the post is about - it goes big on sweeping statements and skimps on specifics, so I was asking for clarification.
The Role of the United States and International Community
As a nation that champions the values of freedom and democracy, the United States, alongside other democratic countries
Have a nice day. Fuck USA and white colonial powers being the leader of anything.
slams door so hard, it breaks, walks away
Even though this is a great idea, it’s also incredibly unreasonable.
There will be people cheating the hell out of this, because let’s face it. What people need is not a free computer. They need food and money.
What ever that is possible to scrape from these machines, the market will open for it today if you launch your computer tomorrow.
It’s a nice thought, but it’s the wrong way going around this. If you really want to make a difference, you open up your business somewhere in an area you want to help and you create jobs.
Stable income is a sure way road to decrease in crinimal activity and a more safe society. THEN you can consider providing free stuff, when there’s no reason to abuse it.
Maybe I’m too pessimistic, and I’d love to be convinced otherwise.
There will be people cheating the hell out of this, because let’s face it. What people need is not a free computer. They need food and money.
While I’m not personally at all against giving out free computers … that’s not really what is meant here.
I think we’re talking about free as in “speech”, not necessarily “beer”. In the case of hardware, this would mean that the design is “open” to be viewed, copied, or derived from. For example, if you develop a processor using the ARM architecture, you have to pay ARM royalties.
Stable income is a sure way road to decrease in crinimal activity and a more safe society. THEN you can consider providing free stuff, when there’s no reason to abuse it.
I mean as long as the capitalists are the ones footing the bill I got no problem scamming them out of free computers or whatever. They scammed you and everyone you know out of your environment, your freedom, your privacy, your future, so fuck’em. Whatever you take from them is in better hands in yours than theirs.
More generally, I don’t agree that we need to wait for stable incomes to do other things.
Yes, you‘re too pessimistic imo but the core critique seems valid to me.
We need everyone to bombard everyone they know with one message:
„Billionaires (companies and individuals) need to be disowned and the money used to feed those who dont have food and shelter those who dont have shelter“.
We will still have trillions to spare but this is the highest priority right fucking now and we have a lot more power than we think, especially if we shut the fuck up infighting and instead start to prioritize.
Because rn, if you have shelter and food, you should be fighting to decapitate the 1% and shove that downward and let it trickle up.
Edit: before the obvious „but companies will move away!!!“ yes, they might, but to where? There is no country where people dont think this and the few psychopaths who would take advantage of this cant do shit against the quiet majority. Also, i hope they move away because if Starbucks (i.e.) is gone in a country, guess what, somebody else will take over and make money instead.
This is a violation of rule 5 but nothing will be done because all mods everywhere are assholes that selectively enforce the rules.
Everywhere.
I thought lemmy was an exception, but it turns out it isn’t.
Yeah! Let us withhold their paycheck to teach them a lesson!!
Why is everyone from lemmy.ml such a greasy, dripping shitstain?
