On 2/16/19, dns1983@riseup.net dns1983@riseup.net wrote:
As far as I know, those distributions include non free firmwares, which, potentially or maybe not, could contain some backdoors.
I don't want to preach no one, but for me is a ethical, moral question. I want to avoid operating systems that haven't a clear policy about free software. It is my opinion that I am not the only one here, and that this explains the "Debian monoculture".
Maybe I'm wrong.
I would be happy to use a BSD operating system, only if I was sure that It's entirely free.
The BSD's tend to separate their "'base' install" as a mostly now [and still ultimately moving towards entirely] free copyright base, from their addon "ports" and "packages" which you must manually install which can then contain blobs.
Some of the Linux distros installers just try to detect all what you have and install all the blobs automagically. Some of the Linux distros are pretty good about not using blobs like that. Linux distros don't really have a concept of a "base". And generally don't care as much.
https://www.openbsd.org/goals.html
They are perhaps the most blob and copyright strict yet still reasonably commonly used OS, and free as in permissive freedom (not restrictive GPL), of anyone. The BSD's are like that. See also... https://www.freebsd.org/ https://www.netbsd.org/ https://www.dragonflybsd.org/
(Funny almost all OS offer microcode updates, another currently completely untrustworthy blob.)
However you the user must ultimately analyse the choices, and purchases, including hardware, and the advocacy, suitable for you.
If closed firmware bothers you, don't buy closed hardware that requires it, let the market sort it out. Or start your own to speed up the market.