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I would love to buy an open, linux-based laptop to replace my aging 11" MBA but these are huge laptops - the smallest has a 14" screen. Should I be looking at the Pinebook 11" ?
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The laptops which we will be delivering with open firmware will require the FSP and Intel ME, with the Intel GOP driver being an optional component to enable graphics acceleration in UEFI. The ME is disabled by way of a HECI message early in the boot process, so there are no runtime ME components similar to using the HAP bit on older ME versions. I will get https://www.coreboot.org/users.html updated as soon as possi…
>The ME is disabled by way of a HECI message early in the boot process, so there are no runtime ME components similar to using the HAP bit on older ME versions. But why would I believe this? It seems you're selling snake oil. You can't really call it open firmware if there's still a lot of closed firmware in it.
The ME could certainly still be active, that is true, but with modern x86 platforms attempting to disable the ME or PSP using the documented method is the best that can be done.
A very large amount of the work the firmware does is done by open source code in either Coreboot, EDK2, or the System76 firmware applications. It is my opinion that this definitely does count as open firmware.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The laptops which we will be delivering with open firmware will require the FSP and Intel ME, with the Intel GOP driver being an optional component to enable graphics acceleration in UEFI. The ME is disabled by way of a HECI message early in the boot process, so there are no runtime ME components similar to using the HAP bit on older ME versions. I will get https://www.coreboot.org/users.html updated as soon as possi…
> Intel GOP driver being an optional component to enable graphics acceleration in UEFI libgfxinit works even on Kaby Lake now.. but I see that you're using some ridiculously new 10th-Generation stuff for new laptops. > HECI message early in the boot process, so there are no runtime ME components similar to using the HAP bit on older ME versions Hm, I haven't heard of the HAP bit being gone? Also, you can still remove…
libgfxinit support for Comet Lake is coming. The Intel GOP driver is a bit different than this, though. There is an Intel PEIM graphics driver that comes from the PSP, that provides a software-rendering framebuffer similar to what libgfxinit does. The Intel GOP driver provides some hardware acceleration, which is useful especially for HiDPI systems but not critical to device functionality.
The HAP bit does not have an effect since ME version 12. ME 12 was used on Coffee Lake systems, and ME 14 is used on Comet Lake systems. These support a different method of disablement using a HECI message, presumably to make dynamic disabling of the ME easier to do. Our firmware always sends this message, having the same effect as setting the HAP bit.
me_cleaner does not appear to function on version 14 of the ME. As soon as it does, we will also utilize me_cleaner to remove ME modules.
I am Jeremy Soller, Principal Engineer at System76. Let me know if you have any questions. The source for this can be found here: https://github.com/system76/firmware-open There are instructions there for building and testing the firmware in QEMU, you do not need to have our hardware to try it out.
I wonder if that's working for them as a core selling point. Does having an open firmware really steer people into buying one of these laptops? I'm curious to hear from an actual buyer on why they purchased that laptop when there are so many linux friendly options available. For web dev I've been running ubuntu on a virtualbox on my macbook pro for years. It's pretty much just as fast as my fully specced out desktop.…
I only replaced it because I decided I wanted to go the "ultrabook" route and have an i5-xxxxU processor but get 12+ hours of battery life. I got a T440s, and ran linux on it, ofc.
I am Jeremy Soller, Principal Engineer at System76. Let me know if you have any questions. The source for this can be found here: https://github.com/system76/firmware-open There are instructions there for building and testing the firmware in QEMU, you do not need to have our hardware to try it out.
Also, with the price difference between the two it would be a more interesting hardware using this difference to acquire more RAM.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>The ME is disabled by way of a HECI message early in the boot process, so there are no runtime ME components similar to using the HAP bit on older ME versions. But why would I believe this? It seems you're selling snake oil. You can't really call it open firmware if there's still a lot of closed firmware in it.
That's like saying you can't call Linux open source because it bundles closed firmware for WiFi, for example... The ME could certainly still be active, that is true, but with modern x86 platforms attempting to disable the ME or PSP using the documented method is the best that can be done. A very large amount of the work the firmware does is done by open source code in either Coreboot, EDK2, or the System76 firmware a…
You should look at the libreboot project and read their blurb on why they do not support post-2013 processors.
Trying to sell the devices described as open is harmful to the term. They're not. Perhaps the only devices which are at this time are the IBM POWER processors and the Raptor CS motherboards, discounting any silicon backdoors, and in the case of the Raptor motherboard, the ASpeed BMC.
I am Jeremy Soller, Principal Engineer at System76. Let me know if you have any questions. The source for this can be found here: https://github.com/system76/firmware-open There are instructions there for building and testing the firmware in QEMU, you do not need to have our hardware to try it out.
Why no AMD CPUs? I just don't buy anything Intel and I'm for some time looking at System76, but each time I go build a setup I remember why I gave up the last time around. Also, with the price difference between the two it would be a more interesting hardware using this difference to acquire more RAM.
I'm less familiar with laptops: Do Intel and AMD CPUs even share a common socket?
My only real complaint is that when the fan ramps up, it is really loud. Loud enough to distract from meetings.... I haven't dug into the different tools for fan control much yet, but if anyone from System76 sees this, it'd be awesome if you implemented a nice ui for that.
I am Jeremy Soller, Principal Engineer at System76. Let me know if you have any questions. The source for this can be found here: https://github.com/system76/firmware-open There are instructions there for building and testing the firmware in QEMU, you do not need to have our hardware to try it out.
seems from github like there's rust in here? how did you pick rust & how has it gone?