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authorLeah Woods <info@minifree.org>2016-05-18 15:38:20 (EDT)
committer Leah Woods <info@minifree.org>2016-05-18 15:38:20 (EDT)
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+GNU Libreboot
+
+Libreboot documentation is under docs/
+The website is https://libreboot.org/
+License can be found in COPYING and through parts of the source tree.
+
+Libreboot is a free BIOS or UEFI replacement (free as in freedom); libre boot
+firmware that initializes the hardware and starts a bootloader for your
+operating system. It's also an open source BIOS, but open source fails to
+promote freedom; please call libreboot free software. Since 14 May 2016,
+Libreboot is part of the GNU project.
+
+Why use libreboot?
+
+Many people use non-free boot firmware, even if they use GNU/Linux. Non-free
+BIOS/UEFI firmware often contains backdoors, can be slow and have severe bugs,
+where you are left helpless at the mercy of the developers; you have no freedom
+over your computing. By contrast, libreboot joins GNU in building a world where
+everyone can use, study, adapt and share software, with true control and
+ownership over their technology. In other words, you should use Libreboot for
+your freedom's sake!
+
+Libreboot is faster, more secure and more reliable than most non-free firmware,
+and can provide many advanced features (such as encrypted /boot/, GPG signature
+checking before booting your kernel, ability to load an OS from the flash chip,
+and more).
+
+Libreboot's main upstream providers are coreboot (which we deblob, for hardware
+initialization), depthcharge (bootloader, and default libreboot payload on ARM),
+and GNU GRUB (bootloader, and default libreboot payload on x86). We also
+integrate flashrom (for installing libreboot), and several of our own utilities,
+scripts and configuration files. All of this is integrated into a single,
+coherent package that is easy to use. We add our own patches to the various
+upstreams used, and where feasible try to merge upstream as much as possible.
+
+Libreboot provides a fully automated build system and installation process, with
+documentation written for non-technical users, in an attempt to make the
+software as easy to use as possible. ROM images are provided, along with
+utilities, all built from the publicly distributed source code.