GNewSense: Difference between revisions

gNewSense
	gNewSense 2.1 Live CD
Developer	Brian Brazil and Paul O'Malley
Working state	Current
Source model	Free software
Latest release	2.1 / August 24, 2008; 16 years ago
Repository	bzr.savannah.gnu.org/r/gnewsense/ ;
Update method	APT
Package manager	dpkg
Platforms	x86
Kernel type	Monolithic (Linux)
Default; user interface	GNOME
License	Free software licenses
Official website	www.gnewsense.org

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Revision as of 22:40, 2 October 2008

The gNewSense GNU/Linux distribution is an operating system designed for users who wish to only use free software on personal computers. gNewSense is based on Ubuntu, but with all proprietary software and binary blobs removed. It is listed by the FSF as a free operating system ^[2]

gNewSense takes a very strict stance for free software. For example, any documentation that gives instructions on installing non-free software is excluded^[3].

The backing project was founded and launched by Brian Brazil and Paul O'Malley in 2006. In October 2006, after the 0.85 release^[4] it was given assistance by the Free Software Foundation.^[5]

Version 1.1, "deltad", was released on 22 January 2007 and is based on Ubuntu 6.06 "Dapper Drake". Version 2.0, "deltah", followed on 30 April 2008 and is based on Ubuntu 8.04 "Hardy Heron".

Comparison with Ubuntu

Proprietary software repositories are not provided by the gNewSense project, non-free documentation and artwork have been removed and the "Universe" package repository is enabled by default. In order to avoid trademark issues that stem from the modification of Mozilla Firefox, gNewSense 1.1 rebranded it as "BurningDog". BurningDog likewise did not suggest non-free plugins^[6] for various web media, such as Adobe Flash. gNewSense 2.0 uses the Epiphany web browser as released by the GNOME Project.

Limitations

Over one hundred pieces of proprietary firmware were removed from the Ubuntu kernel to make GNewSense. Such removals include support for some wireless network cards, and therefore gNewSense currently supports a more limited range of wireless network cards than other GNU/Linux distributions. 3D graphics and application support were also removed because of license issues^[7] with Mesa.

Because of these removals, GNewSense will run on fewer computers than Ubuntu.

Comparison with Debian

Debian is another GNU/linux distribution noted by strict licensing. gNewSense excludes non-free software that Debian includes (such as proprietary firmware) and does not have repositories for non-free software (which Debian has). It should be noted, however, that gNewSense also includes documentation that the Debian project considers non-free, particularly that licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License with invariant sections.^[8]

Technical aspects

By default gNewSense uses GNOME, the official desktop environment of the GNU operating system, but a version using the KDE desktop is also available, though it has not yet appeared for the 2.0 "deltah" release.

Like Ubuntu, gNewSense has good usability and focuses on software freedom.^{[citation needed]} The Ubiquity installer^[9] allows installing to the hard disk from within the Live CD environment without the need for restarting the computer prior to installation.

Besides standard system tools and other small applications, gNewSense comes installed with the following software: the OpenOffice.org productivity suite, the Internet browser Epiphany, the instant messenger Pidgin, and the raster graphics editor GIMP. Common software development tools including the GCC and the GNU Emacs text editor are installed by default.

Instalation

The same CD can be used to run the distro as a live CD and to install. CD images are available for download. gNewSense 2.0 needs five gigabytes of disk space.

Alternatively, gNewSense 2.0 is available pre-installed on computers from Los Alamos Computers.^[10]

Builder

Brian Brazil created a tool called 'Builder' to make gNewSense which allows others to create their own variants of Ubuntu.

References

External links

[1] ttp://www.gnewsense.org/

[2] ttp://www.gnu.org/links/links.html#FreeGNULinuxDistributions

[3] [1]

[4] Release 0.85

[5] NewSense 1.0 released - Free Software Foundation

[6] NewSense Official Website | Main / PressRelease20070122

[7] [2]

[8] [3]

[9] "Screenshots of Ubiquity's KDE frontend". Retrieved 2006-05-03.

[10] "LAC Now Shipping gNewSense 2.0 Systems".

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 }}
-The '''gNewSense''' [[GNU/Linux naming controversy|GNU/Linux distribution]] is an [[operating system]] based on [[Ubuntu]], designed for users who wish to only use [[free software]] on [[personal computer]]s. The backing project was founded and launched by Brian Brazil and Paul O'Malley in 2006. In October 2006, after the 0.85 release<ref>[http://www.gnewsense.org/index.php?n=FAQ.FAQ#toc1 Release 0.85]</ref> it was given assistance by the [[Free Software Foundation]].<ref>[http://www.fsf.org/news/gnewsense gNewSense 1.0 released - Free Software Foundation]</ref>
+The '''gNewSense''' [[GNU/Linux naming controversy|GNU/Linux distribution]] is an [[operating system]] designed for users who wish to only use [[free software]] on [[personal computer]]s. gNewSense is based on Ubuntu, but with all [[proprietary software]] and [[binary blob]]s removed. It is listed by the [[FSF]] as a free operating system <ref>http://www.gnu.org/links/links.html#FreeGNULinuxDistributions</ref>
-gNewSense is based on Ubuntu, but with all [[proprietary software]] and [[binary blob]]s removed. It describes itself as "A GNU/Linux distribution, that takes all the non-free blobs out of a rather popular distribution and makes it free".<ref>[http://www.gnewsense.org/ gNewSense homepage]</ref>
+gNewSense takes a very strict stance for free software. For example, any documentation that gives instructions on installing non-free software is excluded<ref>[http://wiki.gnewsense.org/Main/CommunityGuidelines]</ref>.
+The backing project was founded and launched by Brian Brazil and Paul O'Malley in 2006. In October 2006, after the 0.85 release<ref>[http://www.gnewsense.org/index.php?n=FAQ.FAQ#toc1 Release 0.85]</ref> it was given assistance by the [[Free Software Foundation]].<ref>[http://www.fsf.org/news/gnewsense gNewSense 1.0 released - Free Software Foundation]</ref>
-gNewSense is in some respects more stringent on freedom issues than Debian (on which Ubuntu is based); for example, documentation that gives instructions on installing non-free software is considered non-free.<ref>[http://wiki.gnewsense.org/Main/CommunityGuidelines]</ref> It should be noted, however, that while the Free Software Foundation considers Debian partially non-free, gNewSense also includes documentation that the Debian project considers non-free, particularly that licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License with invariant sections.<ref>[http://wiki.gnewsense.org/ForumMain/StanceOnGFDL]</ref> Hence gNewSense cannot be considered merely a free subset of Debian or Ubuntu.
-Version 1.1 was released on [[22 January]] [[2007]]. Version 2.0, "deltah", followed on [[30 April]] [[2008]] and was based on Ubuntu 8.04 "Hardy Heron". gNewSense 2.0 is available pre-installed on computers from Los Alamos Computers.<ref>{{cite web
+Version 1.1, "deltad", was released on [[22 January]] [[2007]] and is based on Ubuntu 6.06 "Dapper Drake". Version 2.0, "deltah", followed on [[30 April]] [[2008]] and is based on Ubuntu 8.04 "Hardy Heron".
-|url=http://laclinux.com/gnu/News#20080501.1
-|title=LAC Now Shipping gNewSense 2.0 Systems
-}}</ref>
-== Differences between gNewSense and Ubuntu ==
+== Comparison with Ubuntu ==
 Proprietary  software [[software repository|repositories]] are not provided by the gNewSense project, non-free documentation and artwork have been removed and the "Universe" package repository is enabled by default. In order to avoid [[trademark|trademark issues]] that stem from the modification of [[Mozilla Firefox]], gNewSense 1.1 rebranded it as "BurningDog". BurningDog likewise did not suggest [[non-free]] [[plugin]]s<ref>[http://www.gnewsense.org/Main/PressRelease20070122 gNewSense Official Website | Main / PressRelease20070122]</ref> for various web media, such as [[Adobe Flash]]. gNewSense 2.0 uses the [[Epiphany (browser)|Epiphany]] web browser as released by the GNOME Project.
 === Limitations===
+Over one hundred pieces of [[Non-free software|proprietary]] [[firmware]] were removed from the Ubuntu kernel to make GNewSense. Such removals include support for some [[wireless network]] cards, and therefore gNewSense currently supports a more limited range of wireless network cards than other GNU/Linux distributions. 3D graphics and application support were also removed because of license issues<ref>[http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00129]</ref> with [[Mesa (OpenGL)|Mesa]].
-Because some [[Device driver|drivers]], [[firmware]], and "[[binary blobs]]" were removed from Ubuntu, it will run on fewer computers than Ubuntu.
-gNewSense is derived from Ubuntu (6.06 "Dapper Drake" for 1.1 "deltad" or 8.04 "Hardy Heron" for 2.0 "deltah"), but has a few significant differences. The kernel has over one hundred pieces of [[Non-free software|proprietary]] [[firmware]] removed, including support for some [[wireless network]] cards. gNewSense currently supports a more limited range of wireless network cards than other GNU/Linux distributions do. It also has 3D graphics and application support removed because of issues<ref>[http://bugs.gnewsense.org/Bugs/00129]</ref> with [[Mesa (OpenGL)|Mesa]].
+Because of these removals, GNewSense will run on fewer computers than Ubuntu.
+== Comparison with Debian ==
+[[Debian]] is another GNU/linux distribution noted by strict licensing. gNewSense excludes non-free software that Debian includes (such as proprietary [[firmware]]) and does not have repositories for non-free software (which Debian has). It should be noted, however, that gNewSense also includes documentation that the Debian project considers non-free, particularly that licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License with invariant sections.<ref>[http://wiki.gnewsense.org/ForumMain/StanceOnGFDL]</ref>
 == Technical aspects ==
@@ Line 45: / Line 47: @@
 Like Ubuntu, gNewSense has good [[usability]] and focuses on software freedom.{{Fact|date=September 2008}} The Ubiquity installer<ref>{{cite web | url=http://kubuntu.org/~jriddell/espresso/screenshots/ | title=Screenshots of Ubiquity's KDE frontend | accessdate=2006-05-03}}</ref> allows installing to the hard disk from within the Live CD environment without the need for restarting the computer prior to installation.
-Besides standard system tools and other small applications, gNewSense comes installed with the following software: the [[OpenOffice.org]] productivity suite, the Internet browser [[Epiphany (browser)|Epiphany]], the instant messenger [[Pidgin (software)|Pidgin]], and the [[raster graphics editor]] [[GIMP]]. To assist [[GNU]] developers{{Fact|date=September 2008}}, common [[software development]] tools including the [[GNU Compiler Collection|GCC]] and the [[GNU Emacs]] [[text editor]] are installed by default.
+Besides standard system tools and other small applications, gNewSense comes installed with the following software: the [[OpenOffice.org]] productivity suite, the Internet browser [[Epiphany (browser)|Epiphany]], the instant messenger [[Pidgin (software)|Pidgin]], and the [[raster graphics editor]] [[GIMP]]. Common [[software development]] tools including the [[GNU Compiler Collection|GCC]] and the [[GNU Emacs]] [[text editor]] are installed by default.
+=== Instalation ===
-gNewSense offers a set of applications that work straight from the standard install.{{Clarifyme|date=September 2008}} The live CD is then used to install, after being burnt to a CD, via CD images available for download. gNewSense 2.0 needs five gigabytes of disk space.
+The same CD can be used to run the distro as a [[live CD]] and to install. CD images are available for download. gNewSense 2.0 needs five gigabytes of disk space.
+Alternatively, gNewSense 2.0 is available pre-installed on computers from Los Alamos Computers.<ref>{{cite web
+|url=http://laclinux.com/gnu/News#20080501.1
+|title=LAC Now Shipping gNewSense 2.0 Systems
+}}</ref>
 ==Builder==