Gobuntu: A Truly Free Linux Distro or a Free Drivers Experiment?

Gobuntu: A Truly Free Linux Distro or a Free Drivers Experiment?
November 8, 2007
By Roy Schestowitz

"It has nothing whatsoever to do with Freedom," argues one of Gobuntu’s contributors. The contributor, Keith G. Robertson-Turner, is a longtime, passionate advocate of free software. Before joining Gobuntu, he was among the first package maintainers on the Fedora project. Yet recently he opted to leave the Gobuntu project after what he sees as continued disappointment.

"In fact, [Mark] Shuttleworth has just confirmed on-list that his only interest is the kernel (i.e., disable as much of the contentious drivers as possible) ... and see what still works," he continues.

In contrast, Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Ubuntu, disagrees with Robertson-Turner. The developer's complaints "reflect one person's recollection of a vigorous discussion on the Gobuntu development mailing lists," Shuttleworth replied in an email response to Robertson-Turner's claims. Indeed, in Shuttleworth's view, "Gobuntu is about building a platform that expresses freedom in software and in content." He urges those interested to read key parts of the Gobuntu mailing list (linked to below).

Before examining Robertson-Turner's experiences and findings, let's delve into a little background. Later on, internal problems will be explained and ways to improve Gobuntu's direction will be suggested.

What Makes a Linux Distribution Truly Free

A truly free GNU/Linux distribution is one that honors the idea that full access to and control over program source code is both valuable and necessary. Such a distribution should avoid software and hardware drivers that cannot be controlled by the user. Moreover, all expressions of creativity, including artwork, should permit derivative work. All in all, this ensures that there is no restriction that ties the user to the software and hardware vendors.

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