Ubuntu Decided to Stay With GPLv3 After Public Backlash

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2012-11-02 17:00:23 UTC
Modified: 2012-11-02 17:00:23 UTC

Defeating barriers to GNU/Linux booting

No entry

Summary: The FSF posts an update on Ubuntu and its decision to keep GRUB

Ubuntu decided to provide details on partitioning new (GPT) hard disks when using UEFI firmware. Canonical did this after it had helped legitimise the anticompetitive scheme.

Stallman et al. have been critical of UEFI support and the FSF has this update which says:

Ubuntu has decided to stick with GRUB 2 after all; 48 organizations and over 37,000 people have signed the statement opposing Restricted Boot, but Microsoft's new tablet is hitting stores.

Think twice before purchasing Microsoft's new ARM-based tablet, especially if you are hoping to replace the new Windows RT operating system, with a free software operating system such as GNU/Linux or Android. These new devices ship with Restricted Boot, which prevents you from installing free software on the device.

If it wasn't for public pressure, Ubuntu would not have kept its original bootloader which is licensed under the GPLv3. We must therefore continue to pressure Canonical to remove the antifeature which is Amazon spyware in desktop (local disk) search. Canonical does respond to pressure, even if it never admits this (Yahoo search is one example, but Mono may be another). ⬆

"Idiots can be defeated but they never admit it."

--Richard Stallman

Writing and Coding Isn't Always Enough: Last year we had to assume a role we didn't have before: litigants
Why We Publish Information About the SLAPPs (But Not About the Legal Process), an Abuse of Process by Americans Trying to Silence Critics of Their Employer, Microsoft: It doesn't take thousands of pages to explain something simple
Internet Relay Chat Didn't Fall Off a Cliff: IRC will turn 40 in less than 3 years from now
The UEFI 9/11 - Part V - This is Not a Drill (Disable "SecureBoot" Now): A "9/11" Coming
There's No Obligation to Speak to Anybody: The very fact that "bkuhn" is till spending time in social control media says a lot about his poor judgment
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, September 01, 2025: IRC logs for Monday, September 01, 2025
The Register MS Says "AI Web Crawlers Are Destroying Websites", So Why Does The Register MS Help 'AI' Companies? (Spoiler: Money): People need to call out The Register MS on its hypocrisy
Microsoft Trying to Force People to Resign (Amid Mass Layoffs) a Strategy That Takes Its Toll: Microsoft seems to be circling down the drain and the "final flush" will be the moment the "hey hi" (AI) bubble implodes completely
Google Simply Cannot Be Trusted: Only fools would trust GAFAM
Admission That a Third Party (or Parties) Funds the SLAPPs Against Techrights: This can end up costing them over a million dollars
Modifying and Writing One's Own Computer Programs is Not a Crime (or: Google Proves That Stallman Was Right): We're generally gratified to see so many positive mentions of him
Why We Stopped Publishing Videos (for Now): We'll probably get back to videos one day, but it's hard to say when or to what extent
What Animal Rights Activism Teaches Us About Sympathy and Focus: It's possible to believe that the planet is warming, that we must do something about it, and still eat eggs and butter
When You Turn Web Sites About Tech Into Political Sites: A lot of people fall into the trap of catering only for particular groups
Gemini Links 02/09/2025: ROOPHLOCH 2025 and Lagrange 1.19 Released: Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/09/2025: News Corp. WSJ and A Month With NixOS: Links for the day
Slopfarms Already Peaked, They Will Die When Slop Companies Run Out of Money to Borrow: slopfarms will lack an actual "engine"
“Sideloading” Never Killed Anybody: There are many online discussions this week about the misnomer "sideloading"
Slopwatch: Google News as FUD Vector Against Linux and Plagiarism Enhancer, Serial Slopper (SS) Uses LLMs to Googlebomb "Linux": Slop destroys the Web not just by screwing with search engines and helping plagiarists. It's also responsible for de facto DDoS attacks...
Links 01/09/2025: "Attacks on Science" and China's "Soft Power" Grows: Links for the day
Links 01/09/2025: Fresh Backlash Against Slop and "Norway’s Electricity Crisis is About to Hit Britain": Links for the day
Links 01/09/2025: Catching Up (Mostly via Deutsche Welle), "Windows TCO" Effect in UK: Links for the day
Gemini Links 01/09/2025: Linguistic Barriers and "Web 1.0 Hosting": Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, August 31, 2025: IRC logs for Sunday, August 31, 2025
Autumn Has Come: Autumn should be exciting in all sorts of ways; it'll also mark our anniversary
The UEFI 9/11 - Part IV - External Interference: They all seem to be playing a role in crushing Software Freedom and self-determination for users
Links 31/08/2025: Baggage Claim Scams, an Insurrectionist’s War on Culture, and a Sudden Robotics Hype: Links for the day
Gemini Links 31/08/2025: Reviewing Netsurf and Slightly Less Historic Ada Design: Links for the day
IBM Has Taken Control of GNOME: Don't expect a successor to be found any time soon
Links 31/08/2025: Google Gmail Data Breach and LF Puff Pieces for Pay: Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, August 30, 2025: IRC logs for Saturday, August 30, 2025
This is What Google News Has Become: Moments ago

Ubuntu Decided to Stay With GPLv3 After Public Backlash

Recent Techrights' Posts