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diff --git a/docs/hcl/c201.md b/docs/hcl/c201.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..5c92e5b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/hcl/c201.md @@ -0,0 +1,267 @@ +<div class="section"> + +ASUS Chromebook C201 {#pagetop} +==================== + +This is a Chromebook, using the Rockchip RK3288 SoC. It uses an ARM CPU, +and has free EC firmware (unlike some other laptops). More RK3288-based +laptops will be added to libreboot at a later date. + +Paul Kocialkowski, a [Replicant](http://www.replicant.us/) developer, +ported this laptop to libreboot. Thank you, Paul! + +**More info will be added later, including build/installation +instructions. The board is supported in libreboot, however, and has been +confirmed to work.** + +Flashing instructions can be found at +[../install/\#flashrom](../install/#flashrom) + +[Back to previous index](./). + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +- [Google\'s intent with CrOS devices](#googlesintent) +- [Considerations about ChromeOS and free operating systems](#os) +- [Caution: Video acceleration requires a non-free blob, software + rendering can be used instead.](#videoblobs) +- [Caution: WiFi requires a non-free blob, a USB dongle can be used + instead.](#wifiblobs) +- [EC firmware is free software!](#ec) +- [No microcode!](#microcode) +- [Depthcharge payload](#depthcharge) +- [Flash chip write protection: the screw](#thescrew) + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Google\'s intent with CrOS devices {#googlesintent} +================================== + +CrOS (Chromium OS/Chrome OS) devices, such as Chromebooks, were not +designed with the intent of bringing more freedom to users. However, +they run with a lot of free software at the boot software and embedded +controller levels, since free software gives Google enough flexibility +to optimize various aspects such as boot time and most importantly, to +implement the CrOS security system, that involves various aspects of the +software. Google does hire a lot of Coreboot developers, who are +generally friendly to the free software movement and try to be good +members of the free software community, by contributing code back. + +CrOS devices are designed (from the factory) to actually coax the user +into using proprietary web services (SaaSS) that invade the user\'s +privacy (ChromeOS is literally just the Google Chrome browser when you +boot up, itself proprietary and comes with proprietary add-ons like +flash. It\'s only intended for SaaSS, not actual, real computing). +Google is even a member of the *PRISM* program, as outlined by Edward +Snowden. See notes about ChromeOS below. The libreboot project +recommends that the user replace the default *ChromeOS* with a +distribution that can be used in freedom, without invading the user\'s +privacy. + +We also use a similar argument for the MacBook and the ThinkPads that +are supported in libreboot. Those laptops are supported, in spite of +Apple and Lenovo, companies which are actually *hostile* to the free +software movement. + +[Back to top of page](#pagetop). + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Considerations about ChromeOS and free operating systems {#os} +======================================================== + +This laptop comes preinstalled (from the factory) with Google ChromeOS. +This is a GNU+Linux distribution, but it\'s not general purpose and it +comes with proprietary software. It\'s designed for SaaSS. Libreboot +recommends that users of this laptop replace it with another +distribution. + +Use one of the distributions recommend by the libreboot project. See +[../distros/](../distros/) + +Debian GNU+Linux +---------------- + +<https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Asus/C201> shows how to +install Debian. + +TODO: instructions for Devuan + +[Back to top of page](#pagetop). + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Caution: Video acceleration requires a non-free blob, software rendering can be used instead. {#videoblobs} +============================================================================================= + +The Tamil driver source code for the onboard Mali T GPU is not released. +The developer has so-far withheld it. Until that is released, the only +way to use video (in freedom) on this laptop is to not have video +acceleration, by making sure not to install the relevant blob. Most +tasks can still be performed without video acceleration, without any +noticeable performance penalty. + +In practise, this means that certain things like games, blender and +GNOME shell (or other fancy desktops) won\'t work well. The libreboot +project recommends a lightweight desktop which does not need video +acceleration, such as *XFCE* or *LXDE*. + +The Tamil developer wrote this blog post, which sheds light on the +story: +[http://libv.livejournal.com/27461.html,http://libv.livejournal.com/27461.html](http://libv.livejournal.com/27461.html). + +[Back to top of page](#pagetop). + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Caution: WiFi requires a non-free blob, a USB dongle can be used instead. {#wifiblobs} +========================================================================= + +These laptops have non-removeable (soldered on) WiFi chips, which +require non-free firmware in the Linux kernel in order to work. + +The libreboot project recommends using an external USB wifi dongle that +works with free software. See +[\#recommended\_wifi](./#recommended_wifi). + +There are 2 companies (endorsed by Creative Commons, under their +*Respects your Freedom* guidelines), that sell USB WiFi dongles +guaranteed to work with free software (i.e. linux-libre kernel): + +- [ThinkPenguin sells + them](https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usb) + (company based in USA) +- [Tehnoetic sells + them](https://tehnoetic.com/tehnoetic-wireless-adapter-gnu-linux-libre-tet-n150) + (company based in Europe) + +These wifi dongles use the AR9271 (atheros) chipset, supported by the +free *ath9k\_htc* driver in the Linux kernel. They work in *linux-libre* +too. + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +EC firmware is free software! {#ec} +============================= + +It\'s free software. Google provides the source. Build scripts will be +added later, with EC sources provided in libreboot, and builds of the EC +firmware. + +This is unlike the other current libreboot laptops (Intel based). In +practise, you can (if you do without the video/wifi blobs, and replace +ChromeOS with a distribution that respects your freedom) be more free +when using one of these laptops. + +The libreboot FAQ briefly describes what an *EC* is: +<http://libreboot.org/faq/#firmware-ec> + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +No microcode! {#microcode} +============= + +Unlike x86 (e.g. Intel/AMD) CPUs, ARM CPUs do not use microcode, not +even built in. On the Intel/AMD based libreboot systems, there is still +microcode in the CPU (not considered problematic by the FSF, provided +that it is reasonably trusted to not be malicious, since it\'s part of +the hardware and read-only), but we exclude microcode updates (volatile +updates which are uploaded at boot time by the boot firmware, if +present), which are proprietary software. + +On ARM CPUs, the instruction set is implemented in circuitry, without +microcode. + +[Back to top of page](#pagetop). + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Depthcharge payload {#depthcharge} +=================== + +These systems do not use the GRUB payload. Instead, they use a payload +called depthcharge, which is common on CrOS devices. This is free +software, maintained by Google. + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Flash chip write protection: the screw {#thescrew} +====================================== + +It\'s next to the flash chip. Unscrew it, and the flash chip is +read-write. Screw it back in, and the flash chip is read-only. It\'s +called the screw. + +*The screw* is accessible by removing other screws and gently prying off +the upper shell, where the flash chip and the screw are then directly +accessible. User flashing from software is possible, without having to +externally re-flash, but the flash chip is SPI (SOIC-8 form factor) so +you can also externally re-flash if you want to. In practise, you only +need to externally re-flash if you brick the laptop; read +[../install/bbb\_setup.html](../install/bbb_setup.html) for an example +of how to set up an SPI programmer. + +Write protection is useful, because it prevents the firmware from being +re-flashed by any malicious software that might become executed on your +GNU+Linux system, as root. In other words, it can prevent a +firmware-level *evil maid* attack. It\'s possible to write protect on +all current libreboot systems, but CrOS devices make it easy. The screw +is such a stupidly simple idea, which all designs should implement. + +</div> + +<div class="section"> + +Copyright © 2015 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> |