gNewSense

[aanderse]

just announced (http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20061102083226821)

this is interesting, the comments at the bottom of the page are pretty negative though. i hope there isn't any negative vibes from the ubuntu community about this distribution like there are in the comments of that page. i for one think this is a great fork of ubuntu for those who are interested.

i would like to hear what people are thinking about this though.

[Anthem]

I think it's ridiculous. But that's just me.

The main thing that makes it free is the fact that it removes the ability to use Ubuntu's "restricted" and "multiverse" repoisitories. So their primary achievement is to take an entirely free distro and remove functionality, plus put more GNU tools in the stock install. Yay freedom.

EDIT: They are, of course, free to do that. But it's a serious waste of manpower just for bragging rights.

[K.Mandla]

I think it's great. I applaud anyone who puts in that amount of time and work to follow an ideal.

[dermotti]

This seems like a slap in the face to Debian.

Anyways does this mean no GNUbuntu?

[deanlinkous]

I think it is GREAT! What is so wrong with taking something that is good and adding/removing what you do not agree with or accept and making something new?

[Viper550]

Now, all they need is good artwork and they'll be all set! :D

[Anthem]

Official discussion seems to be here:

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=292794

[guyjohnston]

I think it's great. I only use GNU/Linux because of the freedom aspect. I don't support the separate "open source" movement particularly because it only focuses on making the software technically better. Not all free/open source software is technically better than proprietary software, and it has various disadvantages for doing so, such as it being harder to make money from it. For example, Microsoft Office is better than OpenOffice.org technically, though I hope OOo catches up soon because it's the only one of the two that I use, because I have the freedom to use it how I want to, and the developers respect me. I also hope that all software that gives me that freedom becomes technically better than their proprietary counterparts.

I think the general Ubuntu philosophy is pretty good because it's close to the general freedom message, by being based on sharing and "humanity towards others", rather than purely some technical benefits over proprietary software, or more likely cost benefits, which other GNU/Linux distributions are usually based on. However, I prefer to support the stance gNewSense takes which is the same as the Free Software Foundation (not distributing or recommending any proprietary software). I think it'd be good if there was an official Ubuntu distribution with the same goals, such as the planned Gnubuntu/Ubuntu-libre, because it'd make its development easier. But never mind.

[deanlinkous]

Yea, non-free software seems to go against the Ubuntu philosophy. Some would say otherwise.

At least we have gNewSense!

[Shay Stephens]

Well, when all the face slapping is done, and everyone stops to rub their glowing sore faces, all these distributions and forks will still be around serving whatever communities want to use it.

Trying to stop it is like trying to stop a local deli from opening up down the street, or keeping a kid from starting a paper route. People do what they do because they want it.

The problem I see is people wanting to stop others from pursuing what they want. You don't have the right to grant or deny it. Great ideas come from enterprises like gNewSense, Ubuntu, Debian, etc. People just hate change, but you can't stop the change.

[deanlinkous]

If someone hates change then GNU+Linux is probably not the place they need to be IMO. ;)

[steven8]

All of these threads make me want to run away from Linux in general, and I was SO excited when I found Ubuntu a month ago. I thought I had found THE place where folks shared a common belief in community and caring, etc, etc. But it is certainly not the case. Not here, or Suse or anywhere I've looked. Fighting, bickering, arguing. . .over people's opinions!

It's just ludicrous. It's like trying to find the moral high ground by climbing higher and higher on a house made of cards. I'm going to take break from the forum for awhile and catch my breath.

[Shay Stephens]

I'm going to take break from the forum for awhile and catch my breath.

It's a good idea to regroup when it gets to you. You gotta keep your joy. Just remember though that the alternatives to linux offer far less freedom on the whole. So don't be a stranger ;)

[steven8]

Thank you, Shay. I have gone off and read some works by Mark Shuttleworth and other notables, and caught my breath. I believe I will avoid these rhetorical arguments, as both sides have merit, and concentrate on other threads.

I do so strongly believe in Linux and what it stands for, and Ubuntu in particular!

[steven8]

Just wanted to mention something weird, yet VERY neat. I am posting this using the gNewSense liveCD. Now, Ubuntu Dapper has been the ONLY distro who has seen all of my hardware ootb. So if gNewSense is, in fact Ubuntu Dapper with any proprietary stuff left out, then why has NO OTHER DISTRO been able to do this? Obviously, I have no hardware which rely on special drivers.

I have tried, Suse, Gentoo, Kanotix, PCLinuxOS, PuppyLinux, and a few I can't think of right now. Why do none of these see my hardware ootb? For that matter, why doesn't Edgy?

[deanlinkous]

specifically what hardware?

OMG you mean you can actually USE gNewSense? :D

[steven8]

Works like a charm, Dean! :-) I never thought it wouldn't. I'm just curious as to why none of those other distros work with all of my hardware ootb when they obviously require nothing special.

[steven8]

Oh, sorry. You edited while I was posting. The hardware in question is a Toshiba PCX 2600 USB Cable modem. Only Ubuntu and gNewSense have worked with it ootb.

[steven8]

I am very impressed with gNewSense beyond that as well. It runs very smoothly.

[deanlinkous]

USB cable modem huh? That is a sticky one there, probably some modules need to be loaded and ubuntu probably has some detection for it.

As soon as gns dumps the brown and goes for something that fits in a bit better it should look great too!

Everything seems to just fine on my systems even the one with the nvidia (bad bad bad) card in it. :D

[steven8]

My card is an nvidia geforce fx 5200. What video card makers are Linux friendly? In this world where nvidia and ati control 99+% of the market, I've had the blinders on since day one!

My gNewSense screen is a pretty blue color.

I found, finally, that Ubuntu uses an rdnis_host driver for my modem.

[steven8]

Wow! From Linux.org, here is a list of Linux-Friendly manufacturers.

Scroll down a bit and see who is on the list. . .

http://www.linux.org/vendor/hardware/multimedia.html

[steven8]

Nvidia has Linux drivers for my card. Are these the drivers gNewSense provide for my card right off? gNewSense recognizes my card and it displays just fine. Only one refresh rate and 3 screen sizes, but I have my 1024 x 768 that I love.

[deanlinkous]

I have a MSI4000 (nvidia) card and I think I have numerous resolutions to choose from using the nv driver. That isn't the box I usually tho....

Yes the wallpaper is blue, login screen is the elephant on the plains, but everything else is still Ubuntu brown so it doesn't really "fit".

[steven8]

I looked up that card. It looks good. Not priced too badly either! I'll need a pci card for my new computer, as there is no agp slot. I think I may get one of those!! Thanks.

[deanlinkous]

Don't do that! I wasn't recommending it! Nvidia is evil! :)
I have no idea what you should use if you truly want a good add-in card since I usually use onboard video either intel or recently Unichrome but also heard SIS has supportted onboard. If you aren't a gamer then I would think onboard would be fine. I play tuxracer if that means anything... :)

The card you have now should be better than the MSI4000 AFAIK.

To me part of the issue is that a user will never know WHAT exxactly free software provides because they automatically think that they need proprietary drivers or else their hardware won't work at all which is not the case.

Oh well, we are OT.

[steven8]

My card may be better, but it's an agp, and the new computer only has PCI slots. I like to do gaming, and I like to make games, but I am going to see what I can do with just Linux. I'll keep the old computer set up as a windows in case I need it.

I recommend, though, that people here give gNewSense a try. I like it very much!!

[Efrain Valles]

It is feels rewarding ... yo know... for ubuntu to be chosen to be the base for a very idealistic distro... it just says a lot.

to be honest I thought it was ironical since Richard Stallman came to my contry and told people that UBUNTU should not be considered Software Libre...

but... life is life...

Mark Shuttleworth compliments Richard's efforts everytime he has a chance...

check this out
Stallman at MCT (Ministery of Science and technology in Venezuela) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLo15TjgnmY)

why not go with another distro... more LIBRE

that's my 100 Bolivars...