Completely Open-Source PC

[aimeeandbeatles]

I had a random thought this morning about a Completely Open-Source PC. It would have some form of Linux and only open-source software.

I'm not so sure if I can create this, though -- it's hard to find used PCs around here for reasonable price.

Any ideas, anyone? Has anyone attempted this before?

Perhaps we could all create one. Would that make it a COSPC?

 

[Genocidicbunny]

There are Linux distro's out there that have only free and open-source software installed on them. So this aint a new idea.

Now what would be new, is a powerful pc with Open Source hardware.

 

[El Koeno]

I'm not sure if all the software the guy in this article used was open-source, but you might find it an interesting read.

 

[GoodGame]

Shopping for laptops, I've seen at least one company (Dell?) selling mini-notebooks that are non-Microsoft OS, I guess to improve performance.

 

[Zelig]

Shopping for laptops, I've seen at least one company (Dell?) selling mini-notebooks that are non-Microsoft OS, I guess to improve performance.

Mostly to improve price.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Mini notebooks are meant to be cheap and usually have low-end hardware. With that being said, Vista is a definite no-no, due to both price and hardware, and XP is out cus it costs a lot more than a free Linux distro.

On the topic of Open Source hardware, ive googled it some, and there are option out there available, such as schematics, PCB layouts and the such. The problem is, for even an enthusiast, most of the equipment needed to make something powerful is much too expensive ( On the order of several million USD ). So at best, you can make some pretty simple stuff, even some of the most advanced stuff, but for things like CPU's, you're gonna need some funding.
On the other hand, one could argue that FOSS hardware is basically hardware thats been programmed with FOSS microcode. In this case, FOSS hardware becomes much more accessable, with the ability to purchase a reconfigurable chip and update it with your own code.

Stil, I don't see a FOSS desktop or laptop anytime soon.

 

[El Koeno]

By the way. A friend of mine works at an organization that makes computers for schools in Cambodia. I think all he uses is open-source software for those. Because it's cheaper, and because you can easily translate it into the local language. I think he also let's one machine run two virtual machines so that two users can use on machine - or whatever it is he does, it saves costs. But yeah, that shows fully open-source PCs aren't only possible, they're quite useful in some settings.

I have no experience with Linux, but that's just because I like gaming, and I don't see the point of having two OS's on my PC. Having said that the only open source software I use is OpenTTD, which is basically the best game ever, so I guess even gaming is possible on Linux. I've stopped using Firefox and Thunderbird to use Opera. Extensibility is nice, but stuff working as you want it out of the box is even nicer IMO.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

All right, except for the hardware (which I'll buy), I'm considering making the laptop I'm planning to get Completely Open Source PC (is a laptop a PC? I don't want to be inaccurate here...).
I'm fairly computer-literate, but new to Linux.

How does this sound?
Ubuntu
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Thunderbird (if I need it)
OpenOffice.org
VLC Media Player
Some multiple-IM client (I'm not sure which is the best -- suggestions?)
Some music player similar to Winamp but open-source.

Any other suggestions? Thanks.

I don't need this to be a gaming laptop -- maybe a few DOS games, but I can use DOSBox for that, which there's a Linux version.

 

[Till]

I don't know about Ubuntu, but Debian uses/offers exclusively open source packages. If that is important to you, you might want to go with Debian instead. The differences in usability aren't that great anyway, as the former is based on the later.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I'll check that out. Thank you.

I figured out I could probably use Pidgin for the IM.

I don't mind putting Java on it, although I don't think it's actually open-source.

 

[Shadylookin]

In the linux kernel there are binary(proprietary) blobs for firmware. if you want a truly open source only experience you'll need a distro which specifically takes these out such as gNewsense released by the free software foundation based off of ubuntu

I'll check that out. Thank you.

I figured out I could probably use Pidgin for the IM.

I don't mind putting Java on it, although I don't think it's actually open-source.

Sun has an openJDK I believe

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

thank you.

 

[MajorGeneral2]

How does this sound?
[...]

Just so you know, Ubuntu has most of what you list here out of the box. You won't need to install Firefox, Thunderbird, or OpenOffice, for instance, seperately. I don't know if everything is open-source, though.

If you're new to linux and don't have a friend handy who's used it before, it may not be a bad idea to have some sort of book around to help out. Ubuntu isn't too hard to figure out, but it's just different enough from Windows that it'll be helpful to have a reference handy when getting set up. If there's a good library near your house, they may have something; just make sure it's up-to-date.

 

[innonimatu]

I don't know about Ubuntu, but Debian uses/offers exclusively open source packages. If that is important to you, you might want to go with Debian instead. The differences in usability aren't that great anyway, as the former is based on the later.

Good advice. Either Debian or the more flashy Ubuntu will do fine.

 

[El Koeno]

Just so you know, Ubuntu has most of what you list here out of the box. You won't need to install Firefox, Thunderbird, or OpenOffice, for instance, seperately. I don't know if everything is open-source, though.

If you're new to linux and don't have a friend handy who's used it before, it may not be a bad idea to have some sort of book around to help out. Ubuntu isn't too hard to figure out, but it's just different enough from Windows that it'll be helpful to have a reference handy when getting set up. If there's a good library near your house, they may have something; just make sure it's up-to-date.

Well, I guess aimeeandbeetles has access to a second computer, which she could use to read the Ubuntu forums, right? I guess that would help a lot. Anyway I'm sort of planning to put Ubuntu on this laptop in a few months, and that was going to be my strategy.

 

[Padma]

Personally, I would never recommend Ubuntu to a Linux novice. Just MHO, but it isn't really that friendly, unless you already know it will support your hardware out of the box.

OTOH, because of the massive marketing it gets with Shuttleworth's millions behind it, there are a lot of people running it, and their forums aren't too unfriendly. So if you do have any problems, you can usually find the answers quickly.

(And why would you need a second computer? You should be able to just boot to the live-cd and go online, right?)

And in response to earlier queries (in no particular order):

• Yes, the base Debian distro is closer to the ideals of Free Software. Although something like gNewsense is even closer.
• Java is almost entirely open-source. Sun hopes to have everything, including all libraries, open-sourced for 1.7.
• Virtually everything you need to install, for whatever distro you choose, is on the install CD, or available in the distro's repositories. It will most likely install Firefox (or IceWeasel - the debian equivalent), Thunderbird (or IceDove), a media player, a messaging client, and a music player right from the start.

 

[PeteAtoms]

I tried out Ubuntu once, and it comes with Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin and Open Office. And finding other open source software is easy because its built right into the OS.

And Padma was right, I don't recommend it to someone who isn't familiar with computers, especially non-windows. I struggled to install the necessary drivers and plug-ins to make things like mp3's play.

I had to stop using it on my laptop though, because it made the laptop run hotter than usual, and me being a computer noob, didn't want to ruin anything so I played it safe and reinstalled XP.

 

[El Koeno]

Personally, I would never recommend Ubuntu to a Linux novice. Just MHO, but it isn't really that friendly, unless you already know it will support your hardware out of the box.

OTOH, because of the massive marketing it gets with Shuttleworth's millions behind it, there are a lot of people running it, and their forums aren't too unfriendly. So if you do have any problems, you can usually find the answers quickly.

So, what would you recommend instead?

 

[Padma]

So, what would you recommend instead?

Personally, I recommend PCLinuxOS, Mandriva, and maybe Suse. PCLinuxOS, in particular, is designed to be newbie-friendly. So far, I haven't run into anything I've had to use the command-line for. (I do use the CL - I'm an old hacker, and am more comfortable using CL to get most things done.) Note, however, that for newer hardware, the current PCLinuxOS iso may not recognize everything, so problems may result. Mandriva One 2009 is more up-to-date, and requires less CL if problems arise. Suse / OpenSuse is also supposed to be very friendly, but I won't touch it myself, for philosophical reasons.

As you may have noticed from my short list, I recommend KDE (3.5.x, because 4.x is not yet ready for prime time) for novice users. And Kubuntu's implementation of KDE has always sucked, IMO. (And, as I understand it, they have switched to KDE 4.x already, on top of that.)

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

For the "passive software", as I call it, for example device drivers and plugins, I'm not as much worried about it being completely open-source. It's the "active" software, the ones you actually do something with, is whats gonna be open-source.

I hope that makes sense.