is your open desktop really open ?#opensource #freelibreopensource

is your (free libre) open desktop really (free libre) open ?

this post was prompted by todays project which was to install GNU/linux natively on a HP elitebook notebook so i can run docker and access the @nvidia GPUs in @instaserver @foldingathome containers

phase 1 - install xubuntu

issues

  • NO VIDEO DRIVERS (just VGA)
  • NO WIFI DRIVERS (none nothing nada)

so try a bunch of usb wifi dongles

  • NONE OF THESE WORK

so lets connect notebook to our mobile via an ethernet cable (here's how)

  • apt update
  • apt install aptitude
  • aptitude update

let try and get missing drivers

  • aptitude install synaptic
  • run synaptic
  • enable PROPRIETARY drivers !

YAY ! NVIDIA VIDEO and BROADCOM WIFI are auto detected

so

  • install the PROPRIETARY drivers

reboot

video and wifi now work

BUT NOTE I and this is the main point I NOW NO LONGER HAVE A FREE LIBRE OPEN SOURCE DESKTOP so I might have well left Microsoft Windows 10 running natively which is what i HAVE been doing for the last 5 years and would have kept doing if hadnt especially wanted to test docker & nvidia GPUs and @foldingathome.

So are you running an open desktop ?

If it is only semi (free libre) open why not run Windows 10 natively and run a TRUE OPEN SOURCE DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT inside Oracle VirtualBox or VMware Player ?