Re: [libreplanet-discuss] Purism is not free hardware

[address@hidden]

On 03/08/2018 06:33 PM, John Sullivan wrote:

> Stefan Nagy <stefan.nagy@posteo.net> writes:
>
> > Am 07.03.2018 23:04 schrieb Taiidan@gmx.com:
> > > "Grassroots:
> > > Purism, makers of fine free hardware"
> > >
> > > https://libreplanet.org/2018/sponsors
> > >
> > > Purism isn't free hardware, […]
> > You are right, they don't offer free hardware. Since I respect their
> > work
> > I wrote them an email and asked them to correct that.
> >
> > It seems like they are willingly trying to unmake their reputation with
> > stupid misstatements like that. I don't get it…
> This was purely our mistake. Purism did not request that tagline (or any
> tagline at all).
I am very surprised that there is someone at the FSF who is un-aware of 
the situation.
Again I still can't understand as to why purism gets so much air time on 
the FSF website and the tech news media yet legitimately libre hardware 
gets none.
"PureOS" is simply a debian clone used to peddle non-free laptops and 
now purism has obtained an implied endorsement from the FSF.
> I apologize to Todd and the Purism crew, and to everyone for the
> confusion. I'm sorry.
Was it really the fault of the FSF?
In the past purism has for instance posted a minifree bashing image on 
their twitter and then claimed it "wasn't an approved tweet"
https://web.archive.org/web/20150816183411/http://i0.wp.com/blogs.coreboot.org/files/2015/08/purism_attacks_minifree.png 

> (We don't even currently certify free hardware -- only hardware that
> works with and supports free software.)
Since they have a booth at libreplanet will they be allowed to have 
their false advertising or will all signs and literature be approved in 
advance?
* Coreboot with blobbed hardware initiation is not "free firmware"
* The LibreM is not at all libre hardware (gotta change that name)
* ME_Cleaner/HAP bit do not disable ME at all, the kernel still runs and 
can do as it pleases - if one fails to include the ME ROM the system 
WILL power off after 30 minutes and if one physically disconnects the ME 
processor from the system then the computer won't function - What purism 
does doesn't avoid the hypothetical intel firmware backdoor at all as it 
doesn't actually disable ME they are simply riding on the coat tails of 
the security research community.
* New intel x86_64 does not "respect your privacy, freedom and security"

They need to apologize and they need to stop the dishonest advertising - 
after that I will have no issue with them and I am sure people will 
still buy their products if they are completely honest about them.