[sf-lug] "Educating Tux: case studies of Linux...and "Purity"

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Mark Weisler (mark at weisler-saratoga-ca.us):

> http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ututo for more
> information where it is claimed, "Ututo is based exclusively on
> Free/Libre Software."
> 
> IIRC this might have been the only distro that, in February 2007, was
> purely free software.

Ututo was indeed the first one Stallman endorsed (since his falling out
with the Debian Project, anyway).

http://www.gnu.org/links/links.html#FreeGNULinuxDistributions currently
lists the following as "the GNU/Linux distributions we know of which
[sic] only include and only propose free software.  They reject non-free
applications, non-free programming platforms, non-free drivers, or
non-free firmware 'blobs'.  If by mistake they do include any, they
remove it."


    * Ututo, a GNU/Linux distribution based on Gentoo.  It was the first
      fully free GNU/Linux system recognized by the GNU Project.
    * gNewSense, a GNU/Linux distribution based on Debian and
      Ubuntu, with sponsorship from the FSF.
    * Dynebolic, a GNU/Linux distribution that places special emphasis
      on audio and video editing.
    * Musix GNU+Linux, a GNU+Linux distribution based on Knoppix, with
      special emphasis on audio production.
    * BLAG, BLAG Linux and GNU, a GNU/Linux distribution based on Fedora.
    * GNUstep Live, a GNU/Linux distribution with a user interface based
      on GNUstep, a free implementation of the Cocoa/OpenStep framework.

Notably absent is Gobuntu, reportedly because (a/o 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon"),
it still includes trademark-encumbered versions of Firefox and
Thunderbird, which will be fixed with Hardy Heron.  There are also
patent-related issues, about which see:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Gobuntu/pkg-non-free