I Thought My Linux Distro Is Free. I Was So Wrong! #GNU #FSF #Linux

NixNexus

🔓 Is Your Linux Distro Truly Free? | Discover the 5 Completely Free GNU/Linux Distros You Can Trust.  In this video, we take a deep dive into the world of GNU and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) to uncover a surprising truth: most popular Linux distributions don't meet the standards of complete software freedom.  From Arch to Ubuntu, many beloved distros include proprietary components that compromise your control, privacy, and digital autonomy. But don’t worry—we’re not here to just point out the problem. We're here with solutions.  Join us as we explore five GNU-endorsed, 100% libre Linux distributions that fully respect your freedom.  We’ll explain why these distros matter, what sets them apart, and what trade-offs you might face if you choose to go fully free.  👉 Whether you're a developer, ethical hacker, privacy enthusiast, or simply curious about free software, this video will help you make more informed choices about your operating system.  💬 Tell us in the comments: Would you consider switching to a fully free distro? Or does convenience still win out?  👍 Like, 🔔 Subscribe, and share if you believe in freedom-respecting technology. 📣 “Freedom always starts with awareness.”  ==**INFO SOURCE**==👇👇  https://www.gnu.org/ https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu.html https://www.gnu.org/software/software.html https://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html https://www.gnu.org/distros/optionally-free-not-enough.html https://www.fsf.org/  ==**TIME STAMPS**==👇👇  00:00 – What If I Told You Linux Isn’t Fully Free? 01:13 – What's GNU & FSF And What Is There Role? 02:23 – What Is Free System Distribution Guidelines? 03:57 – Why GNU Doesn’t Endorse Popular Linux Distros 04:43 – Why Truly Free Linux Distros are Important? 05:36 – Is “Optionally Free” Really Free? 07:13 – Meet the Fully Free GNU/Linux Distros 09:10 – Guix System 11:41 – Hyperbola GNU/Linux-libre 14:00 – Parabola GNU/Linux-libre 16:24 – Trisquel 18:34 – PureOS 20:50 – Final Thoughts: Freedom vs Convenience  Visit Our Main Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@NixNexus360?sub_confirmation=1 Visit Our Bengali Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NixNexus360bangla?sub_confirmation=1 Visit Our Hindi Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nixnexus360hindi?sub_confirmation=1  ==**SUPPORT US ON**==👇👇  Patreon: https://patreon.com/NixNexus Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nixnexus SubscribeStar: https://subscribestar.com/nixnexus Liberapay: https://en.liberapay.com/NixNexus/ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/nixnexus  ==**FOLLOW US ON**==👇👇  Twitter(X): https://twitter.com/NixNexus360 Facebook: https://facebook.com/nixnexus360 Instagram: https://instagram.com/nixnexus360 Threads: https://threads.net/@nixnexus360 Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@nixnexus WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaFQEVo84OmIjOfE5Q33 Telegram Channel: https://t.me/s/nixnexus

Transcript

00:00Hello friend. Tell me one thing. What is the first thing that comes to your mind

00:05when you think of Linux? Let me guess. Open source and free, isn't it? Free from

00:13restrictive licenses, free to customize, free to modify and free to share. But what

00:20if I told you that most Linux distributions are not as free as you

00:25think? The answer might surprise you but that is the truth. According to GANU and

00:32Free Software Foundation, most of the popular Linux distribution do not make

00:37this cut. You name it. Arch, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, OpenSUSE, Slackware and

00:45so many others. But none of them qualify as a complete free and open source Linux

00:51distribution. Because according to GANU and Free Software Foundation, when we

00:57talk about the free software, we are not just talking about free of cost. Here

01:02free means freedom, freedom of everything, freedom of usage, freedom to modify and

01:08freedom to share software without any restrictions. Now if you are not familiar

01:14with the name GANU and the Free Software Foundation then let me break it down for

01:20you real quick. The GANU project was launched in 1983 by Richard Stallman with

01:27the goal of creating a completely free and open source operating system and it

01:32eventually developed many key components including the GANU compiler collection,

01:37the GANU core utilities and the GANU C library which when combined with the

01:43Linux kernel which was separately created by Linus Torvalds, forms the now widely used

01:49GANU slash Linux operating systems. Then to further support his initial

01:55mission of software freedom, Richard Stallman also founded the Free Software

02:00Foundation in 1985. The Free Software Foundation is a non-profit organization

02:06that promotes free software and fights against proprietary restrictions and it

02:12remains the main sponsor of the GANU project. Together GANU and Free Software

02:17Foundation have played a crucial role in shaping the modern landscape of open

02:22computing.

02:26To avoid any confusion, the GANU project and the Free Software Foundation have set

02:32clear guidelines for what constitutes a truly free or libre operating system and

02:38here I am briefly summarizing it for you in layman's term. A free system

02:44distribution must be complete, self-hosting and rely only on free tools and

02:49software. All practical use information which include software, documentation and

02:54fonts must be provided in source form under a free license. The system must avoid

03:01steering users towards non-free software, exclude non-free firmware and maintain

03:07functional integrity by removing such components when found. Trademarks and non-functional

03:13data are acceptable if they do not restrict copying, redistributing or

03:18overall functionality. Documentation must avoid recommending non-free software and

03:24patent concerns are generally disregarded. The distribution must have no DRM,

03:30backdoors or spyware and developers must commit to promptly fixing mistakes. Active

03:37maintenance, clear reporting channels for non-free software issues and distinct naming to

03:42prevent confusion with non-free distributions are required. Lastly, distributions should

03:49promote software freedom, educate users about the use of free software and avoid misleading

03:55terminologies as well. As a result of this strict guideline, many popular Linux

04:01distribution are not endorsed by GANU and Free Software Foundation because they fail to

04:06follow the free system distribution guidelines. Not only this, as per GANU project,

04:13almost all popular Linux distributions fail to follow the guidelines in at least two

04:19important ways. First, these distributions lack a clear policy to include only free

04:25software or remove non-free software when found and even the few with policies are not

04:31strict enough. And second, the kernel that these distributions distribute, which is usually the

04:38Linux kernel, most of the time contains proprietary and closed-source firmware.

04:47Now many of you will find this set of guidelines to be extreme. Because for you, who is an ordinary user,

04:54convenience is the most important thing. You want your Wi-Fi and graphic card to work out of the box.

05:01You want support for your hardware, which is also not wrong in any way. But according to GANU

05:07and the Free Software Foundation, when a Linux distribution include non-free software, it creates

05:13two major problems. Number one, it encourages non-free software use. Because if non-free software

05:20are included, users are more likely to use it without questioning its impact on their freedom.

05:27Number two, it misleads the community. It shifts the focus from freedom to convenience and sometimes

05:34compromise. According to GANU and the Free Software Foundation, non-free distributions often present their

05:42inclusion of non-free software as a feature, undermining efforts to prioritize software freedom. And that is not

05:50just bad for an individual user. It is bad for the entire free software movement and most importantly,

05:56optionally free is not free at all. Distros that let users choose only free software are better than those

06:04who do not. Because most people do not realize the importance of avoiding non-free software and might not

06:11pick the free one as their first option. However, GANU and Free Software Foundation also added an important

06:18point at the end. They added that the distros with non-free software can be recommended privately to

06:25experienced users who usually support free and open source software. But openly they will only endorse the

06:32distro that completely avoid including or suggesting non-free software to ensure that users are not

06:39unintentionally led to installing or using them. The GANU Project and the Free Software Foundation are not

06:46saying that you should not use your favorite distro, but they want you to understand the trade-offs and make

06:52an informed choice. For them, it's critical that people choose a distribution that not only values convenience,

07:00but also upholds the core principles of freedom. Because a truly free operating system always ensures

07:08that users are not unknowingly compromising their freedom for short-term ease.

07:16So now, after all this information, you might wonder, if mainstream distros do not fully respect these

07:24values, then which one can I trust? If that is what you are wondering, then do not worry.

07:29The GANU Project and the Free Software Foundation have also compiled a list of fully free distribution

07:36that meet their strict standard. The GANU Foundation has listed 8 distributions that can be used for PCs

07:43and workstations. But after some research and testing, I have narrowed it down to just 5. I have omitted

07:51three distributions, namely, O22, Dynabolic and Dragora GANU slash Linux Libre. I omitted them because,

08:00firstly, O22 is a discontinued distribution with its latest update received way back in February 2017,

08:09which is very unfortunate because O22 was the first fully free GANU slash Linux system recognized by the GANU

08:16project. Then second one, Dynabolic is removed because it is a static distro, meaning it will not

08:24receive any security updates and therefore it is recommended only to run from a live CD.

08:30And finally, Dragora GANU slash Linux Libre. I excluded it because it is simply impossible to install.

08:38No matter how many times I tried on different physical machines, virtual machines, using both GUI

08:44and manual installation, but I could not get it to work. Unfortunately, the official website also do not

08:51have any detailed written instruction for the installation process. And even the screenshot based guide,

08:58which I found on their website, did not help much. Therefore, I have decided to focus on the remaining

09:04five distros from the list. So, without further ado, let's start with the first one.

09:13The first completely free distro in our list is Geeks system. Geeks is an interesting GANU

09:20slash Linux distribution that stands out for its unique combination of a fully fledged operating

09:26system and a powerful package manager. Built entirely with the Gale Scheme programming language,

09:32Geeks offers an advanced hackable and highly customizable environment that appeals to developers

09:39and power users. At the heart of Geeks, it is its revolutionary package manager,

09:45which brings cutting-edge features such as transactional upgrades, rollbacks and reproducible

09:51built environments. Unlike traditional package managers, Geeks allows for user-level package

09:57management without requiring root permission. This mean you can install, upgrade or remove software

10:04entirely within your user space, making it a great choice for those who want granular control over their

10:11system. One of the key benefit of Geeks is its focus on freedom and transparency, resulting in its

10:18commitment of free software also extending to Geeks package definition, which are reproducible, allowing

10:26users to verify that what they receive is identical to what was built. Geeks's design also avoids the

10:34traditional file system hierarchy standard, instead relying on symlinks and a store to manage software

10:40installation. As a result, this architecture enables the simultaneous use of multiple versions of

10:47package without conflicts, while also allowing for easy roll blocks to previous configurations. You can even

10:54have multiple isolated environments or profiles for different versions of software or specific projects.

11:02However, Geeks is not without its challenges. The learning curve is steep due to its unconventional

11:09approach and its focus on scheme, which may not be familiar to all users. But despite these

11:16hurdles, Geeks remains an excellent choice for those who value freedom, control and flexibility. Its advanced

11:24features like stateless configuration, package transformation and the ability to maintain a system entirely

11:30through declarative configuration files make it an ideal platform for both developers and users who want a fully

11:37customisable, reproducible and hackable Linux experience. The second distro in our list is Hyperbola

11:48Ganu slash Linux Libre, which is a unique community-driven operating system that prioritize freedom, privacy and security.

11:57Built from scratch, it combines the package management system of Arch Linux with Debian's security patching,

12:04while strictly adhering to the Ganu free system distribution guidelines.

12:08At its core, Hyperbola features the Linux Libre kernel, a version of Linux completely free from any

12:15proprietary garbage. Hyperbola is designed for those who value software freedom. Hyperbola offers a minimal

12:24long-term support distribution that follows the KISS philosophy. Unlike Arch Linux, which follows a rolling

12:31release model, Hyperbola provides fixed release based on Arch's snapshots, ensuring stability while

12:39incorporating essential security updates. And instead of Systemd, Hyperbola opts for OpenRC, aligning with

12:47its goal of simplicity. Hyperbola offers support for both 32- and 64-bit architecture, making it an excellent

12:55choice for users who want to revive older hardware without sacrificing modern security practices.

13:02Installation process is similar to Arch Linux's hand-on approach, meaning users has to follow

13:08an online installation guide. Like Arch, the base system is intentionally minimal, providing only

13:14essential Ganu command-line tools and leaving users free to install their preferred applications via the

13:20Pac-Man package manager. And unlike traditional Linux distribution, Hyperbola does not include the

13:26common known desktop environments like GNOME, KDE, XFC, MATE, etc. Instead, they offer several window managers

13:34and Lumina Desktop as a working desktop environment. Hyperbola is ideal for users who value digital

13:41sovereignty and are willing to trade convenience for complete control over their computing environment.

13:47Its unconventional approach, like blending Arch's customization with Debian security, makes Hyperbola

13:54a fascinating choice for free software advocates, minimalists, and privacy-conscious users.

14:03Now, upon moving on to our third distro, we get Parabola-Ganu-Linux-Libre, a distribution that

14:10exemplifies the principle of software freedom, offering a completely libre alternative to mainstream Linux

14:17distributions. Built upon the foundation of Arch Linux, Parabola retains the flexibility,

14:23rolling release model, and simplicity of Arch while strictly adhering to the Ganu's free system

14:29distribution guidelines. Meaning, Parabola replaces all non-free software found in Arch Linux with libre

14:36alternatives and ensure that all packages adhere to strict licensing standard. Parabola is compatible with

14:44Arch Linux and share its robust pacman package management system. This allows users to access

14:52a vast repository of free software while maintaining a rolling release model, which provides the latest

14:58updates without the need for periodic reinstallation. However, unlike Arch, Parabola does not support the

15:05Arch user repository because it contains proprietary and non-free software. Instead, Parabola relies on its

15:13officially maintained repository that guarantees software freedom. Parabola also supports multiple

15:20architecture including ARM and 32 and 64-bit versions of the x86 architecture, making it versatile and

15:29suitable for various hardware configurations. Like Hyperbola, Parabola 2 follows the Arch Linux

15:35installation model, requiring users to manually configure their system through a command-line interface,

15:42and offering a minimalistic base system that allows them to install their preferred desktop

15:47environment and software packages. However, for those who prefer a more user-friendly setup, Parabola also

15:54provides experimental images with a graphical installer featuring the LXDE desktop environment, which

16:01I also used in this demonstration. While both Hyperbola and Parabola Ganu slash Libre require some

16:09technical expertise to set up and maintain, both of them provide a highly customizable and ethical

16:15computing experience, and their hands-on approach ensure that users will be able to build their system

16:22according to their own needs.

16:23Okay, the fourth distro we have is Triscal Ganu slash Linux, a free and open source Linux distribution that

16:34prioritize user freedom by offering a completely libre operating system. Built on Ubuntu, Triscal removes all

16:43proprietary software including non-free firmwares, drivers and applications. It adheres to the guidelines set by

16:50Ganu, ensuring that users only have access to software that respects their freedom rights.

16:58Unlike other distros in the list, Triscal offers several editions to cater to different user needs.

17:05The standard edition, which comes with the Mate desktop environment, is a user-friendly option for

17:11general use. For those with older hardware, the Triscal Mini Edition features the lightweight LXDE desktop,

17:18ensuring compatibility with notebooks and low-resource systems.

17:23The Triscal Edition, featuring the KDE Plasma desktop, provides a more feature-rich environment

17:30for users who prefer a modern and versatile interface. Additionally, the Triscal Sugar Toast Edition

17:37is tailored for educational purpose, featuring a sugar learning environment designed for children.

17:43The latest version of Triscal continues the tradition of offering a clean,

17:49free software experience with an emphasis on security, stability and user-friendliness.

17:55Released on July 2024, it is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and includes long-term support, ensuring updates and

18:04security patches until 2027. The system includes the Linux Libre 5.15 kernel and has removed all proprietary components.

18:15In conclusion, Triscal Ganu slash Linux stand as a leading example of fully free operating system.

18:22Its commitment to privacy and user freedom, combined with its polished, lightweight environment,

18:28make it an ideal choice for those who seek a secure and ethical computing experience.

18:37And now, the final distro in our list is PureOS. It is a Linux distribution created by Purism,

18:45a company dedicated to providing open-source, privacy-focused technology. Built as a rolling release

18:52distribution based on Debian's testing branch, PureOS offers a blend of cutting-edge privacy tools

18:58and a commitment to free software. It is designed to be fully auditable, ensuring that users can

19:05independently verify the security and privacy of their system. This makes it ideal for individuals or

19:12enterprises seeking to protect their digital life as well as developers interested in robust open-source

19:19platforms. One of the distinguishing features of PureOS is its focus on convergence, meaning that the

19:26same operating system runs seamlessly across different devices, from desktops to laptops and even

19:33smartphones. Purism's goal is to create a unified experience where apps and data work consistently,

19:40regardless of whether you are using a desktop or a mobile device. This vision is facilitated by

19:46PureOS's use of adaptive design principle, particularly through the GNOME desktop environment and the

19:52support for KDE Plasma Mobile on the Librem 5 smartphone. PureOS also prioritizes user privacy and

20:00security. By default, it encrypts your whole system and with features like the inclusion of only free

20:07and open-source software, making it a trusted choice for privacy-conscious users. The default browser,

20:13Pure browser is based on Mozilla Firefox and is tailored to increase security. Furthermore,

20:19PureOS integrates privacy-focused services such as DuckDuckGo as a default search engine,

20:25minimizing data collection by third parties. In summary, PureOS is an ambitious and privacy-respecting

20:33Linux distribution that aligns well with Purism's vision of freedom and security. Its focus on

20:40convergence and free software makes it an exciting choice for those looking to unify their computing

20:46experience across devices. All of these five mentioned distros are way more than just your

20:55regular operating system. They are truly a commitment to digital freedom, ensuring that every piece of

21:01software included are 100% free. Their developers strictly follow the free system distribution guidelines,

21:09which means they reject anything that compromises software freedom, whether it is non-free application,

21:15programming platforms, drivers, firmwares, games, or even proprietary manuals and documentation.

21:23If any non-free software ever make their way in, then that is purely by mistake,

21:28and the developers are committed to removing it as soon as possible. However, this unwavering commitment

21:35of free software does come with some trade-offs as well. Without proprietary drivers and firmwares,

21:42users with certain hardwares, particularly wireless cards and proprietary graphic cards that rely on

21:48closed-source code may face compatibility challenges. Workarounds do exist, but they require extra effort.

21:56But for those who value digital autonomy, these distributions stand as a testament to the software

22:02freedom movement. These distros are a bold and principled choice, best suited for those who

22:08prioritize ethical computing over convenience. By eliminating all non-free components, they ensure

22:15a fully customized and optimized system, free from any proprietary control. While they might seem

22:22daunting for newcomers, but they offer one of the most reliable, polished, and user-friendly experience

22:28in the world of fully free computing, they set the goal standard of software freedom, designed not just

22:35to function, but to embody the philosophy of user empowerment. So, there you have it. From now onwards,

22:42I admit that not all Linux distributions are created equal. While some may include non-free component,

22:50others are truly free and respect the user's freedom. What do you think?

22:55Does this change how you view your favorite Linux distro? Would you consider exploring a fully free

23:01alternative? Or do you think convenience overweighs freedom? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

23:07And do not forget to check out the links in the description for more information on the

23:12GANU project and the Free Software Foundation.

23:14Thanks for watching. If you have enjoyed this video, do not forget to subscribe for more insightful content.

23:21I will see you in the next one. Until then, remember, freedom always start with awareness.

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