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'''gNewSense''' is a [[Linux distribution]] based on [[Ubuntu (Linux distribution)|Ubuntu]] designed for users who wish to only use [[free software]]. It is officially supported and recommended by the [[Free Software Foundation]],<ref>http://www.fsf.org/news/gnewsense</ref> and uses that organisation's term ''GNU/Linux'' to describe its inclusion of software from the GNU Project. It is the distribution the founder of the [[Free Software Movement]], [[Richard Stallman]], currently uses.<ref>[http://www.stallman.org/stallman-computing.html Computer Info - by Richard Stallman]</ref> Version 1.1 was released on [[22 January]] [[2007]].
'''gNewSense''' is a GNU/[[Linux distribution]] based on [[Ubuntu (Linux distribution)|Ubuntu]] designed for users who wish to only use [[free software]]. It is officially supported and recommended by the [[Free Software Foundation]],<ref>http://www.fsf.org/news/gnewsense</ref> and uses that organisation's term ''GNU/Linux'' to describe its inclusion of software from the GNU Project. It is the distribution the founder of the [[Free Software Movement]], [[Richard Stallman]], currently uses.<ref>[http://www.stallman.org/stallman-computing.html Computer Info - by Richard Stallman]</ref> Version 1.1 was released on [[22 January]] [[2007]].


== Differences between gNewSense and Ubuntu ==
== Differences between gNewSense and Ubuntu ==

Revision as of 14:05, 7 January 2008

gNewSense
DeveloperBrian Brazil and Paul O'Malley
OS familyUbuntu
Working stateCurrent
Source modelFree software
Latest release1.1 / 21 January 2007
Repository
Update methodAPT
Package managerdpkg
Platformsx86
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
Default
user interface		GNOME
LicenseFree software licenses
Official websitehttp://www.gnewsense.org/

gNewSense is a GNU/Linux distribution based on Ubuntu designed for users who wish to only use free software. It is officially supported and recommended by the Free Software Foundation,[1] and uses that organisation's term GNU/Linux to describe its inclusion of software from the GNU Project. It is the distribution the founder of the Free Software Movement, Richard Stallman, currently uses.[2] Version 1.1 was released on 22 January 2007.

Differences between gNewSense and Ubuntu

Though based on Ubuntu, it has significant differences:

  • Non-free software in the form of device firmware removed from the Linux kernel. This was thought by some developers to create legal problems for the development of wireless LAN device drivers in the United States, since U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations prohibit user-configuration of software radios to operate outside the approved power levels and frequency channels[3]. This appeared to create legal problems for certification of free software drivers in the United States[4]. gNewSense therefore currently supports fewer types of wireless device than Ubuntu[5]. However, the legal position has since been clarified by the FCC in subsequent responses to petitions from vendors, and the US Software Freedom Law Center has stated that the FCC rules now allow development of free and open-source wireless drivers [6], though more free software drivers may become available now that legal uncertainties in the US appear to have been resolved.
  • Non-free software repositories are not made available by the gNewSense project - such as Ubuntu's "restricted" and "multiverse" repositories, which contain some non-free software
  • Non-free documentation and artwork have been removed
  • The "Universe" package repository is enabled by default
  • Mozilla Firefox is rebranded as BurningDog, to avoid certain trademark issues that stem from modification of the software to remove functionality suggesting non-free plugins.[7] A similar situation motivated the rebranding of Firefox as GNU IceCat and Iceweasel, in the Gnuzilla and Debian projects respectively.
  • Build-essential (software development tools such as gcc, make etc.) are installed by default
  • bsdgames, NetHack and GNU Emacs are installed by default

As of January 2007, the latest release of gNewSense (deltad 1.1) is based on the Dapper/6.06 LTS release of Ubuntu, and available only for the x86 architecture.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.fsf.org/news/gnewsense
  2. ^ Computer Info - by Richard Stallman
  3. ^ http://ftp.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Orders/2001/fcc01264.pdf
  4. ^ A report from the Linux wireless developers meeting
  5. ^ Hardware that requires proprietary drivers, gNewSense Wiki
  6. ^ FCC Rules on FOSS and Software-Defined Radio
  7. ^ http://www.gnewsense.org/Main/PressRelease20070122
  8. ^ Document describing the 1.0 release dated 03 November 2006, accessed 22 February 2007
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