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Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Hello. I've been using Artix and Parabola for a few years. In this post, I would like to make the case to include the Linux-libre kernel in the standard Artix repos.

For anyone not familiar with it, it's a deblobbed, "sanitized", version of the Linux kernel, managed by the FSF, that comes as default in a few distributions like Parabola.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux-libre


I truly believe it would be a great improvement to Artix to have linux-libre in the main repos, together with linux-libre-hardened and linux-libre-firmware. Here are my arguments:
   1. As most of you should know, the Linux kernel has been going down a horrible path, by including proprietary code, DRM, bowing to corporate and political interests, among other issues;
   2. There are alternatives to completely avoid the Linux-kernel, like OpenBSD, but they loose certain features only present in Linux, and have less software compatibility. No other kernel project will get that amount of man-hours and funding;
   3. Linux-libre is the only Linux derivative for someone going for true privacy and security;
   4. Even though it's present in the AUR, installing/updating can take hours, making it problematic for users who want/need a fast binary-based distro. Traditional compilation is also an option, but Artix/Arch users typically choose the distro instead of Gentoo to avoid compiling from source, which also takes hours.
   5. Parabola, the only Arch-based distro that uses Linux-libre as default, lacks the init options and the good work and momentum Artix has been getting. It also has, in my opinion, a less than ideal approach for dealing with proprietary code, as there are valid circumstances for users to use some blobs, despite the privacy, security and ethical problems;
   6. All the work is already done by the devs and the Parabola team, Artix simply needs to include it in the repos as an optional kernel, as it already does with other kernels;
   7. Systemd-free + blob-free... Artix would go from Arch-based to just based 8)


I don't have experience as a maintainer, but I'm willing to test images or do other work if no one more experienced volunteers.

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #1 –
Quote from: anon404 – on
Hello. I've been using Artix and Parabola for a few years. In this post, I would like to make the case to include the Linux-libre kernel in the standard Artix repos.

For anyone not familiar with it, it's a deblobbed, "sanitized", version of the Linux kernel, managed by the FSF, that comes as default in a few distributions like Parabola.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux-libre


I truly believe it would be a great improvement to Artix to have linux-libre in the main repos, together with linux-libre-hardened and linux-libre-firmware. Here are my arguments:
   1. As most of you should know, the Linux kernel has been going down a horrible path, by including proprietary code, DRM, bowing to corporate and political interests, among other issues;
   2. There are alternatives to completely avoid the Linux-kernel, like OpenBSD, but they loose certain features only present in Linux, and have less software compatibility. No other kernel project will get that amount of man-hours and funding;
   3. Linux-libre is the only Linux derivative for someone going for true privacy and security;
   4. Even though it's present in the AUR, installing/updating can take hours, making it problematic for users who want/need a fast binary-based distro. Traditional compilation is also an option, but Artix/Arch users typically choose the distro instead of Gentoo to avoid compiling from source, which also takes hours.
   5. Parabola, the only Arch-based distro that uses Linux-libre as default, lacks the init options and the good work and momentum Artix has been getting. It also has, in my opinion, a less than ideal approach for dealing with proprietary code, as there are valid circumstances for users to use some blobs, despite the privacy, security and ethical problems;
   6. All the work is already done by the devs and the Parabola team, Artix simply needs to include it in the repos as an optional kernel, as it already does with other kernels;
   7. Systemd-free + blob-free... Artix would go from Arch-based to just based 8)


I don't have experience as a maintainer, but I'm willing to test images or do other work if no one more experienced volunteers.


after 3 1/2 hrs and failing on error it's easy to see why no one wants to build it.  I built it in ram with a 20gb tempfs space and ran out of space

Code: [Select]
ld: final link failed: No space left on device
make[2]: *** [scripts/Makefile.modfinal:60: drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/mv88e6xxx.ko] Error 1
make[1]: *** [scripts/Makefile.modpost:140: __modpost] Error 2
make: *** [Makefile:1746: modules] Error 2
==> ERROR: A failure occurred in build().
    Aborting...
 -> error making: linux-libre (linux-libre linux-libre-headers)
Edit:
Having now changed the build directory to my 1tb HDD in the dvdrom HDD caddy, I'll see how long this takes.  1 1/2 hrs in so far
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #2 –
I've tried linux-libre in the past, while it's cool to see it actually working and having drivers load up for most system components (which is the case for an older laptop, my pride and joy, a librebooted T400), unfortunately it's too incomplete for recent hardware, especially recent x86...
For example, on radeon gpu's the image doesn't load, because although amdgpu is open source it depends on a binary blob. So on and so forth.
So i would not see just offering linux-libre as an option, not even in the secondary "world" repositories, because the amount of complaints would be huge.
A single exception for this would be for Armtix, some SBC's have fully open drivers that linux-libre has deblobbed.
Apart from it, consider linux-libre as a proof of concept, more than an actually usable kernel. I know the dream seems nice, but that's the situation we live in, and the things we have to deal with...

LE: If i might add, prebuilt linux-libre can be found here in the Parabola repos https://repo.parabola.nu/libre/os/x86_64/. But again, don't expect any miracles when trying it.

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Hitman – on
I've tried linux-libre in the past, while it's cool to see it actually working and having drivers load up for most system components (which is the case for an older laptop, my pride and joy, a librebooted T400), unfortunately it's too incomplete for recent hardware, especially recent x86...
For example, on radeon gpu's the image doesn't load, because although amdgpu is open source it depends on a binary blob. So on and so forth.
So i would not see just offering linux-libre as an option, not even in the secondary "world" repositories, because the amount of complaints would be huge.
A single exception for this would be for Armtix, some SBC's have fully open drivers that linux-libre has deblobbed.
Apart from it, consider linux-libre as a proof of concept, more than an actually usable kernel. I know the dream seems nice, but that's the situation we live in, and the things we have to deal with...

LE: If i might add, prebuilt linux-libre can be found here in the Parabola repos https://repo.parabola.nu/libre/os/x86_64/. But again, don't expect any miracles when trying it.

>>Apart from it, consider linux-libre as a proof of concept, more than an actually usable kernel. I know the dream seems nice, but that's the situation we live in, and the things we have to deal with...

I agree

Like you said Anon404, most of the work is already done and the only thing left is to compile the kernel with all features and drivers enabled.

Since I don't really see that much interest in Linux-libre, I think the only solution is to become a package maintainer yourself, but that requires a lot of work since you're going to have compile the kernel in full and have some responsibility to answer to other users who use your package, e.g for when issues come up.

So I don't think that it's really worth it, you're a lot better off compiling it yourself and tailoring it to your hardware, or even better get it from parabola repos like Hitman said.

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #5 –
add the repo, add the keys, then install the kernel, headers, and firmware

next run: sudo upate-grub

finally reboot...  choose the kernel you wish to run from the grub menu with keyboard arrow keys
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #6 –
edit pacman.conf with nano in a terminal
Code: [Select]
sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf
add the repo of your choice to the end of the file.  Each of the 3 repos has a kernel you can install.  Most people use liquorix for gaming and linux libre to avoid drm stuff like to play netflix videos.
Code: [Select]
[herecura]
# packages built against stable
Server = https://repo.herecura.be/herecura/x86_64
Code: [Select]
[liquorix]
Server = https://liquorix.net/archlinux/$repo/$arch
Code: [Select]
#[libre]
#Server = https://repo.parabola.nu/libre/os/x86_64

After you install do:
Code: [Select]
 sudo pacman -Syu {your kernel and} {headers}
you will get an error asking if you want to import the keys.  STOP and do nothing in that window for a moment.

OPEN a new terminal and run
Code: [Select]
sudo pacman-key --recv-keys {the key from the other window}
Code: [Select]
sudo pacman-key --lsign {the key from the other window}
after they both finish close that terminal and go back to the other terminal

it's still asking if you wish to import the key.  Respond 'Y'

after your kernel is finished installing run
Code: [Select]
sudo update-grub
when that finishes run
Code: [Select]
sudo reboot
choose advanced options from the grub menu to choose the kernel you wish to boot

easy, peasy, mac and cheesy

if you install linux-libre from the repo as above rather than build it from source from the aur say, then it will replace your default linux kernel, headers, and firmware.
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #7 –
No kernel option directly on grub menu unless if pressing ESC key

How to have it readily on menu as it was without pressing ESC key first. How the solving grub code ?

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #8 –
You'll have to read the grub wiki to learn how to edit it so that it defaults to the last used kernel.

Aside from that, you do what you have to do to choose your preferred kernel
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Artix Linux-libre, the ultimate distro

Reply #9 –
Another way, specify the menu item to boot, for example, add this to:
/etc/default/grub
GRUB_DEFAULT="1>3"

Then run sudo update-grub.
Counting is 0 based from the top of the list, so that picks the second item which is a submenu and the 4th item in that submenu. If it's not in a submenu you can skip the >3 part and just have one number. To save rebooting and counting items you can look in /boot/grub/grub.cfg and count the menu items there if you can understand the file, you can also edit the default in there but it is not advisable normally except as a quick temporary fix as it gets created by update-grub. This works with grub & bios boot, I think it's probably the same for uefi.