nixCraft Linux / UNIX Newsletter

Coreboot is a free and open source software. The project aimed at replacing the proprietary BIOS firmware and blobs. Unfortunately, Coreboot does not run on the modern laptop (except Chromebooks) due to Intel ME and other closed source technologies. Purism vendor sells Linux preloaded on the Librem 13 and the Librem 15 laptops. Purism claims to follow a strict belief in users’ rights to privacy, security, and freedom. Untile today Librem bios was not freed. However, the coreboot port for the Librem 13 v1 is 100% done. It means you can have blob free Coreboot running on a full-fledged modern laptop. The laptop comes with Hardware Kill Switches that physically sever the circuit at the hardware level for Wireless & Bluetooth, Camera & Microphone. The specs are as follows: