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diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html index 94fe68b9..4ceb5c31 100644 --- a/docs/index.html +++ b/docs/index.html @@ -67,99 +67,87 @@ from the flash chip (planned for a future release), and more. </p> - <div class="subsection"> - <h2> - The libreboot project has three main goals: - </h2> - <ul> - <li> - <i><u><b>Recommend and distribute only free software</b></u></i>. The coreboot project distributes proprietary code/blobs on some computers; - this can include things like CPU microcode updates, memory initialization code and so on. The project also actively - recommends that the user install additional blobs in some cases (such as the video BIOS or Intel ME). - While this can be necessary from the coreboot project's point of view, Libreboot is an attempt to support as many - computers from coreboot as possible, without distributing any blobs and without having the user install additional - proprietary software. This is not to say that the coreboot project is bad; a lot of extremely dedicated and talented - individuals in coreboot work night and day to reverse engineer and free those blobs that still remain in coreboot. - <i>Any system from coreboot that can run without blobs is a viable libreboot candidate!</i> - </li> - <li> - <i><u><b>Support as much hardware as possible!</b></u></i> This goes without saying. The list of officially supported hardware - in libreboot is smaller than in upstream (coreboot), because some boards in coreboot require proprietary software which - libreboot does not and will not distribute. The main goal of the libreboot project is to spread free software at a low-level - (the boot firmware) to as many people as possible, so of course that means supporting as much hardware as possible (but without - compromising on the main goal). - </li> - <li> - <i><u><b>Make coreboot easy to use</b></u></i>. The main problem that many users have with coreboot is that it is extremely difficult to - understand, learn about, install and use. This is understandable; coreboot is a low-level piece of software and has many - talented individuals working on it, but the project's resources are limited and so the developers focus their efforts on the code. - Coreboot offers wonderful support for other coreboot developers and those who wish to climb up - that steep curve to learn everything that they can.<br/><br/> - - At the same time, those who simply want to use coreboot (for any number - of reasons) are often left feeling intimidated and many of them give up in frustration. Libreboot attempts to bridge this gap; - its documentation is entirely focussed on users, with detailed steps showing exactly how to install and use it and the issues - that they may come across (and how to work around them).<br/><br/> - - Almost everything in libreboot is completely automated, with - scripts for downloading, building and installing the various components used in libreboot. Pre-compiled ROM images built - from the libreboot source code are provided, along with the utilities (statically compiled, from libreboot sources) that the user will need for installing them.<br/><br/> - - Libreboot is similar in concept to a GNU/Linux or GNU/Linux-libre distribution; it is composed of not just coreboot (deblobbed), - but everything else that the user will need, such as GRUB and flashrom. These are all fully integrated, in a way where - most of the detailed steps otherwise required of the user (if they used coreboot, the upstream provider) are completely eliminated.<br/><br/> - - In much the same way that you can simply download an ISO image for your favourite GNU/Linux-libre distribution, and install it, - you can download pre-compiled libreboot ROM images (built from the sources) along with installation scripts and documentation - that make libreboot as easy to use as possible. - </li> - </ul> - </div> + <h2> + The libreboot project has three main goals: + </h2> + <ul> + <li> + <i><u><b>Recommend and distribute only free software</b></u></i>. + 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 <i>Management Engine</i>. However, a lot of dedicated and talented + individuals in coreboot work hard to replace these blobs whenever possible. + </li> + <li> + <i><u><b>Support as much hardware as possible!</b></u></i> + 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. + </li> + <li> + <i><u><b>Make coreboot easy to use</b></u></i>. + 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.<br/><br/> + + 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.<br/><br/> + + 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.<br/><br/> + + 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). + </li> + </ul> + + <h2> + Libreboot is a coreboot distribution, not a coreboot fork + </h2> <p> - Libreboot is <b>not</b> a fork of coreboot, despite misconceptions of this fact. Libreboot (downstream supplier) is a parallel effort - which works closely with and re-bases on the latest coreboot (upstream supplier) every so often. + Libreboot is not a fork of coreboot. Every so often, the project re-based on the latest + version of coreboot, with the number of custom patches in use minimized. </p> <p> - <b> - As such, all new coreboot development should be done in coreboot, not libreboot! - Libreboot is about deblobbing, and packaging coreboot in a user-friendly way, where most work is already done for the user! - If, for example you wanted to attempt porting a new motherboard then you should do that in coreboot. Libreboot will (as a downstream supplier) - receive your change at some point in the future, in a future release. - </b> + 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. + </p> + + <p> + 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. </p> <p> - <i>Libreboot</i> as a whole is the distribution consisting of everything surrounding coreboot. However, the main component is coreboot; - libreboot's deblobbed coreboot tree is sometimes referred to as <i>coreboot-libre</i> to distinguish it as a component of <i>libreboot</i>. + The deblobbed coreboot tree used in libreboot is referred to as <i>coreboot-libre</i>, + to distinguish it as a component of <i>libreboot</i>. </p> <h2> - Libreboot is a 'stable' coreboot + Libreboot is a 'stable' version of coreboot </h2> <ul> <li> - Coreboot uses the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release">rolling release</a> model, which - is quite volatile; one day when you build coreboot, it may or may not work correctly on your machine. + Coreboot uses the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release">rolling release</a> 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. </li> <li> - Libreboot changes less often (as far as the release model is concerned), focusing instead on 'tested' releases for <i>specific machines</i>. - At any given time, it might also be possible to build ROM images for systems other than those officially supported. If you get your board to work - (without violating the <i>"coreboot development goes in coreboot"</i> rule), then others could benefit from it. + 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. </li> </ul> - <p> - On the other hand, coreboot is also strict about what it accepts (merges) into the main git repository: - most of the time, a lot of changes are under review at review.coreboot.org (as a way of encouraging as much further development - as possible before accepting the patch). - </p> - - <p> - Meanwhile, libreboot is a lot less strict in this area and freely merges specific patches that are desirable, sometimes before they are merged into coreboot's main repository. - </p> - <p><a href="#pagetop">Back to top of page.</a></p> </div> |