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author | Alyssa Rosenzweig <alyssa@rosenzweig.io> | 2017-03-17 22:24:25 -0700 |
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committer | Alyssa Rosenzweig <alyssa@rosenzweig.io> | 2017-03-17 22:24:25 -0700 |
commit | dbc480fb28a694ad5a587be025eabfded7c7784b (patch) | |
tree | 16b4251dcbdede274781f7bb8b1f23570853f3bb /docs/index.md | |
parent | 85ec6862e8af0747420ca15fef7100edb5885302 (diff) | |
download | librebootfr-dbc480fb28a694ad5a587be025eabfded7c7784b.tar.gz librebootfr-dbc480fb28a694ad5a587be025eabfded7c7784b.zip |
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diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..19620c15 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,260 @@ +<div class="section"> + +Libreboot documentation {#pagetop} +======================= + +Information about this release can be found at +[release.html](release.html). Always check +[libreboot.org](http://libreboot.org) for updates. + +[What is libreboot?](#why) + +[Answers to frequently asked questions about +Libreboot](https://libreboot.org/faq/) + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Libreboot is compatible with GNU+Linux and several BSD systems. + +For GNU+Linux, have a look at our [list of GNU+Linux distributions that +we recommend](distros/). + +For BSD, refer to [the libreboot FAQ](https://libreboot.org/faq/#bsd). +We wish to merge instructions into the official libreboot documentation, +if someone will provide it. We do have some instructions now for NetBSD, +FreeBSD and OpenBSD, but they are still incomplete. See [bsd/](bsd/). + +Installing libreboot +==================== + +- [What systems can I use libreboot on?](hcl/) +- [How to install libreboot](install/) + +Installing operating systems +============================ + +- [List of recommended GNU+Linux distributions for + libreboot](distros/) +- [How to install GNU+Linux on a libreboot system](gnulinux/) +- [How to install BSD on a libreboot system](bsd/) + +Information for developers +========================== + +- [How to compile the libreboot source code](git/) +- [Depthcharge payload](depthcharge/) +- [GRUB payload](grub/) + +Other information +================= + +- [Hardware modifications](hardware/) +- [Miscellaneous](misc/) + +</div> + +<div id="why" class="section"> + +About the libreboot project +=========================== + +Libreboot is a free BIOS or UEFI replacement ([free as in +freedom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software)); libre *boot +firmware* that initializes the hardware and starts a bootloader for your +operating system. It\'s also an open source BIOS, but open source fails +to promote freedom; *please call libreboot **[free +software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software)***. + +Libreboot originally began during December 2013, as a commercial effort +by the [Ministry of Freedom](https://minifree.org) to achieve RYF +endorsement for a modified ThinkPad X60 (the first system to ever be +added to libreboot), which it did then achieve. + +Back then, the name *libreboot* didn\'t exist; the project was nameless, +referring to itself as a *deblobbed version of coreboot*. The project +named itself libreboot at some point during early 2014, and has since +rapidly expanded to support more hardware and become more user-friendly. + +Libreboot is a [coreboot](http://coreboot.org/) distribution (distro) +with proprietary software removed, intended to be a +[free](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software) (libre) \'BIOS\' +replacement for your computer. The project is aimed at users, attempting +to make coreboot as easy to use as possible. + +Libreboot has many practical advantages over proprietary boot firmware, +such as faster boot speeds and better security. You can [install +GNU+Linux with encrypted /boot/](gnulinux/), [verify GPG signatures on +your kernel](http://www.coreboot.org/GRUB2#signed_kernels), put a kernel +in the flash chip and more. + +The libreboot project has three main goals: +------------------------------------------- + +- ***Recommend and distribute only free software***. Coreboot + distributes certain pieces of proprietary software which is needed + on some systems. Examples can include things like CPU microcode + updates, memory initialization blobs and so on. The coreboot project + sometimes recommends adding more blobs which it does not distribute, + such as the Video BIOS or Intel\'s *Management Engine*. However, a + lot of dedicated and talented individuals in coreboot work hard to + replace these blobs whenever possible. +- ***Support as much hardware as possible!*** Libreboot supports less + hardware than coreboot, because most systems from coreboot still + require certain proprietary software to work properly. Libreboot is + an attempt to support as much hardware as possible, without any + proprietary software. +- ***Make coreboot easy to use***. Coreboot is notoriously difficult + to install, due to an overall lack of user-focussed documentation + and support. Most people will simply give up before attempting to + install coreboot.\ + \ + Libreboot attempts to bridge this divide, making sure that + everything from building to installing coreboot is automated, as + much as is feasibly possible. Secondly, the project produces + documentation aimed at non-technical users. Thirdly, the project + attempts to provide excellent user support via mailing lists and + IRC.\ + \ + Libreboot already comes with a payload (GRUB), flashrom and other + needed parts. Everything is fully integrated, in a way where most of + the complicated steps that are otherwise required, are instead done + for the user in advance.\ + \ + You can download ROM images for your libreboot system and install + them, without having to build anything from source. The build system + is also fully automated, so building from source is easy if you + wanted to do that (for whatever reason). + +Libreboot is a coreboot distribution, not a coreboot fork +--------------------------------------------------------- + +Libreboot is not a fork of coreboot. Every so often, the project +re-bases on the latest version of coreboot, with the number of custom +patches in use minimized. + +All new coreboot development should be done in coreboot (upstream), not +libreboot! Libreboot is about deblobbing and packaging coreboot in a +user-friendly way, where most work is already done for the user. + +For example, if you wanted to add a new board to libreboot, you should +add it to coreboot first. Libreboot will automatically receive your code +at a later date, when it updates itself. + +The deblobbed coreboot tree used in libreboot is referred to as +*coreboot-libre*, to distinguish it as a component of *libreboot*. + +Libreboot is a \'stable\' version of coreboot +--------------------------------------------- + +- Coreboot uses the [rolling + release](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release) model, which + means that it is not guaranteed to be stable, or to even work at all + on a given day. Coreboot does have a strict code review process, but + being such a large project with so many contributors, regressions + are always possible. +- Libreboot freezes on a particular revision of coreboot, making sure + that everything works properly, making fixes on top of that and + repeating this during each subsequent update to a later version of + coreboot. By doing this, it provides a stronger guarantee to the + user that the firmware will be reliable, and not break their system. + +[Back to top of page.](#pagetop) + +</div> + +<div id="version" class="section"> + +How do I know what version I\'m running? +======================================== + +If you are at least 127 commits after release 20150518 (commit message +*build/roms/helper: add version information to CBFS*) (or you have any +**upstream** stable release of libreboot after 20150518), then you can +press C at the GRUB console, and use this command to find out what +version of libreboot you have:\ +**cat (cbfsdisk)/lbversion**\ +This will also work on non-release images (the version string is +automatically generated, using *git describe \--tags HEAD*), built from +the git repository. A file named *version* will also be included in the +archives that you downloaded (if you are using release archives). + +If it exists, you can also extract this *lbversion* file by using the +*cbfstool* utility which libreboot includes, from a ROM image that you +either dumped or haven\'t flashed yet. In your distribution, run +cbfstool on your ROM image (*libreboot.rom*, in this example):\ +\$ **./cbfstool libreboot.rom extract -n lbversion -f lbversion**\ +You will now have a file, named *lbversion*, which you can read in +whatever program it is that you use for reading/writing text files. + +For git, it\'s easy. Just check the git log. + +For releases on or below 20150518, or snapshots generated from the git +repository below 127 commits after 20150518, you can find a file named +*commitid* inside the archives. If you are using pre-built ROM images +from the libreboot project, you can press C in GRUB for access to the +terminal, and then run this command:\ +**lscoreboot**\ +You may find a date in here, detailing when that ROM image was built. +For pre-built images distributed by the libreboot project, this is a +rough approximation of what version you have, because the version +numbers are dated, and the release archives are typically built on the +same day as the release; you can correlate that with the release +information in [release.html](release.html). + +For 20160818, note that the lbversion file was missing from CBFS on GRUB +images. You can still find out what libreboot version you have by +comparing checksums of image dumps (with the descriptor blanked out with +00s, and the same done to the ROMs from the release archive, if you are +on a GM45 laptop). + +There may also be a ChangeLog file included in your release archive, so +that you can look in there to figure out what version you have. + +You can also check the documentation that came with your archives, and +in *docs/release.html* will be the information about the version of +libreboot that you are using. + +Generally speaking, it is advisable to use the latest version of +libreboot. + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016 Leah Rowe <info@minifree.org>\ +Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document +under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 +International license or any later version published by Creative +Commons; A copy of the license can be found at +[cc-by-sa-4.0.txt](cc-by-sa-4.0.txt) + +Updated versions of the license (when available) can be found at +<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode> + +UNLESS OTHERWISE SEPARATELY UNDERTAKEN BY THE LICENSOR, TO THE EXTENT +POSSIBLE, THE LICENSOR OFFERS THE LICENSED MATERIAL AS-IS AND +AS-AVAILABLE, AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND +CONCERNING THE LICENSED MATERIAL, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, +OR OTHER. THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, +MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, +ABSENCE OF LATENT OR OTHER DEFECTS, ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE +OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT KNOWN OR DISCOVERABLE. WHERE DISCLAIMERS OF +WARRANTIES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT +APPLY TO YOU. + +TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE TO YOU +ON ANY LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE) OR +OTHERWISE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, +PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR OTHER LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES +ARISING OUT OF THIS PUBLIC LICENSE OR USE OF THE LICENSED MATERIAL, EVEN +IF THE LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSSES, +COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES. WHERE A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS NOT +ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. + +The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided above +shall be interpreted in a manner that, to the extent possible, most +closely approximates an absolute disclaimer and waiver of all liability. + +</div> |