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Comment by amosbatto

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Comment by amosbatto

The RYF certification program is based on Richard Stallman's outdated idea that hardware shouldn't be changed and software is anything that can be changed or updated after the device is produced. Anyone who looks at how x86 processors use microcode updates and the security threats with Meltdown and Spectre knows that a modern x86 PC needs to get microcode updates. Even worse is the fact that building a device to comply with RYF actually makes it more difficult to work on freeing the blobs. In the case of the Librem 5, you have to write to the SPI NOR Flash chip to replace the 4 blob files, rather than simply changing the files stored on in the /lib/firmware directory.

However, there are people in the FSF who recognize this. See the comments of Leah Rowe (the Libreboot maintainer) about the problems with the RYF criteria: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libreplanet-discuss/2022-... (read her comments in the libreboot policy she linked to)

I have also criticized the binary nature of RYF certification and suggested that it either needs to move to a category based system: https://forums.puri.sm/t/does-respects-your-freedom-certific... or a number score system: https://forums.puri.sm/t/does-respects-your-freedom-certific...

> That's why we need to educate users about the realities of the devices they choose to purchase, instead of slapping meaningless "RYF" labels on them and discouraging nuanced discussion.

I largely agree that RYF has problems, but it isn't useless, since it does tell people that they can install a new OS or upgrade it without having to deal with proprietary blobs. However, if people want to upgrade the firmware, a RYF device makes that very inconvenient, because you can't just stick the new firmware in the /lib/firmware directory, but have to follow an awkward procedure to upgrade each component's proprietary firmware, and the RYF rules are unclear about whether those upgrades are even allowed. I have written repeatedly to the FSF asking for clarification on whether proprietary firmware can be upgraded under the RYF rules, and I have never received an answer. See: https://forums.puri.sm/t/does-respects-your-freedom-certific...

It's worth mentioning that Purism intends to provide firmware updates for the L5 and has already posted instructions upgrading a couple components: * Texas Instruments TPS65982 USB Type-C and Power Delivery controller: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/firmware-tps6598x-nonfree * Silicon Labs RS9116 WiFi/Bluetooth: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/redpine-firmware-nonfree

However, I would agree that the RYF certification isn't useful for distinguishing whether the PinePhone's firmware is more free than the Librem 5's firmware. In fact, it can be argued that the PinePhone has inspired a lot of community work to replace parts of the EG25-G modem's proprietary firmware, so the PinePhone will potentially have a freer modem than the Librem 5.

RYF also has nothing to say about the freeness of your hardware. For example, the MNT Reform provides all its sources for the design of the hardware, so anyone can legally make it, whereas Purism has released the PDF files for the L5's schematics, and the STL files for its case, but won't release the original design files for the boards and case until it recovers its development costs. PINE64 releases the board schematics as PDF files, but they have a normal copyright, so no one can legally reuse or modify them. If you want to do board repair, however, you need to know the placement of each component on the board, and neither Purism nor PINE64 have released board views, whereas board views are leaked for most Apple devices.

> the RYF workaround development was completely unnecessary and just serves to legitimize the FSF, which, indeed, is the root of the problem.

It seems that you want to throw the baby out with the bath water. In my opinion, the basic goals of the FSF need to be supported. The problem is the strategy that the FSF uses to reach those goals and its specific policies. I want to see a world where ordinary people can control the technology that they rely on, rather than technology being used as a means to control people.

As I see it, we got lucky with the x86 architecture, because Intel and AMD used a standard booting procedure which wasn't locked, so it was possible to install our own OS on almost any PC in the past, but as PCs move to ARM, I fear that every company is going to copy Apple in designing their own ARM processors for PCs, which have custom booting procedures. Maybe Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, UNISOC and all the rest who are reportedly designing custom ARM processors (Google, Xiaomi and Oppo) will release their files or share info, but I suspect that many PCs in the future will be like the Apple A-series processors where we can't install Linux.

In my opinion, the best strategy to avoid this dark future is to support the device makers and component makers who support free/open source software, rather than continuing to buy products from companies that don't share our goals. Apple sued Corellium (and thankfully lost in court), which is a good indication of Apple's attitude toward its users. When we buy Apple products, we give more resources to a company that is openly hostile to users being able to control their own hardware.

While I have specific criticisms of the RYF, I want the RYF certification program to be reformed so it is useful in the real world, because I do think that people who care about FOSS should be giving their money to companies that support their goals, because that is the best way to create a sustainable industry in the long term that respects user rights and are willing to work with the community. Giving our money to companies like PINE64, Purism, Lulzbot, OLIMEX, Raptor Systems, Arduino, MNT, etc. helps build up our leverage, because these companies will have more power to make demands of component suppliers.

NXP has positioned itself as the best ARM manufacturer for the Linux community (ahead of Rockchip), whereas I rank Apple as the second worst (although today I would now place it as the third worst ahead of UNISOC and HiSilicon). See: https://forums.puri.sm/t/concerns-about-the-security-risk-of...

I know that the Librem 5 doesn't have great performance compared to a phone based on an A13 or Snapdragon 888 (see my benchmarks: https://amosbbatto.wordpress.com/2021/12/10/comparing-l5-and...), but I bought the phone anyway, because I know that Purism went out of its way to select component manufacturers who support FOSS. NXP makes commits to mainline Linux to support its i.MX processors, and releases documentation to the community without NDA's. Silicon Labs (formerly Redpine Signals) releases the drivers for its WiFi/Bluetooth chips under the GPL 2 and altered its firmware at the request of Purism so it didn't have to load the firmware from the main Linux file system. By giving money to Purism, NXP and Silicon Labs, I'm helping to build up a better supply chain, so there is more hope of getting hardware in the future that respects our digital rights.

Replies amosbatto · 2022-01-12
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