Ask HN: Why aren't you using an entirely free distribution of GNU/Linux?

7 points by HurdsTimesNear ↗ HN
https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html

7 comments

[ 4.4 ms ] story [ 30.9 ms ] thread
Non-free drivers don't get added to the kernel just for fun. They're there because hardware won't work right without them. So if you have such hardware, then running an entirely free distribution will make your system objectively worse, and if you don't, then the non-free drivers weren't getting loaded anyway, so running an entirely free distribution has no effect whatsoever.
One has to choose between fixes for stuff like Spectre/Meltdown via non-free CPU microcode vs. a totally free kernel.
I've been meaning to try GNU Guix for a while and haven't gotten around to it. Distro hopping is a pain in the ass when you have a lot of other stuff going on.
Because I need to work. I'm not a politician nor a philosopher.
Because I prefer convenience to freedom.
Font rendering is bad; makes web browsing uncomfortable.
Stopped caring about GNU/Linux 20+ years ago.