Support efforts create a free and open mobile phone system

[ronliskey]

Just under the surface of what has come to be called the Web, are many layers of free and open software that support the Internet infrastructure. Geek collectives, such as GNU fight to maintain the freedom of this system from commercial interests who seek opportunities to corral users and control access. The issues are often very technical, but given the Internet's global influence, the impact of little understood decisions can have massive implications.

The following struggle may seem too technical to be of interest, but to those who want a free (as in free speech), open, democratic, and inexpensive mobile communications system, this initiative could matter greatly.

-ron

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Ubuntu is aiming to raise $32 million in crowdfunding to fund Ubuntu Edge, a mobile computer that can dual-boot between Android and Ubuntu GNU/Linux.

Will Ubuntu Edge commit to using only free software? If the project succeeds and has $32 million available to spend, this is surely possible, but there is no indication in any of the promotional materials that this is part of the plan.
Isn't Android already free software? In theory, yes, but in practice, no. To work on actual hardware, Android ends up relying on device drivers that are either outright proprietary or use proprietary firmware blobs. All commonly available Android devices also come with proprietary software applications installed.

This is why today we announced a fundraising partnership with the Replicant project, which produces a version of Android that runs on existing devices without proprietary system software.

Isn't Ubuntu already always committed to free software? No. Ubuntu's default GNU/Linux distribution includes nonfree drivers, and its software marketplace promotes proprietary programs.

But, we don't want to make assumptions about what Ubuntu Edge will or won't be. We and many other free software supporters excited about the possibility of a GNU/Linux mobile device would like to hear official confirmation:

1. Will the Ubuntu Edge versions of both Android and Ubuntu contain or rely on any proprietary software or proprietary firmware?
2. Will the Ubuntu Edge include any Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) software?
3. Will the device's bootloader be free software?
4. Will the device have Restricted Boot, or will users be able to replace the operating system with a free one of their choice?
5. Will Ubuntu Edge include F-Droid, the free software Android application repository, as part of a commitment to promote and recommend only free software?

Ubuntu in the past has said they are forced to make temporary compromises in software freedom in order to have their operating system work on the computers people own and speed adoption of free software. But in this case, Ubuntu would have the chance to dictate the design of the hardware themselves. Software freedom should be the foundation of that design. There is no reason for compromise.

Conveniently, Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth is doing an AMA on Reddit starting at 12:30 EDT, so maybe we will get some answers.

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[Aldo El Hefe]

J

Ubuntu is aiming to raise $32 million in crowdfunding to fund Ubuntu Edge, a mobile computer that can dual-boot between Android and Ubuntu GNU/Linux.

Will Ubuntu Edge commit to using only free software? If the project succeeds and has $32 million available to spend, this is surely possible, but there is no indication in any of the promotional materials that this is part of the plan.
Isn't Android already free software? In theory, yes, but in practice, no. To work on actual hardware, Android ends up relying on device drivers that are either outright proprietary or use proprietary firmware blobs. All commonly available Android devices also come with proprietary software applications installed.

This is why today we announced a fundraising partnership with the Replicant project, which produces a version of Android that runs on existing devices without proprietary system software.

...

I'm sorry to say that there will never be any free mobile phone or smart phone systems. All these systems are set up using tranceivers and proprietary radio networks, which is a huge investment. Anyone who buys a mobile phone or smart phone must subscribe to a radio plan, no matter what kind of special operating systems that they buy or get for free.

Many years ago when I was using my personal business 2 way radios, I thought about installing repeaters in key locations for my system, which also has a phone patchline. I wanted to do this because the mobile radio carriers did not offer coverage in the places that I needed to use it-at any cost. I did the math and decided against planting repeaters in trees with batteries that need to be recharged by solar or other means. Sooner or later the FCC or property owners would discover my system and confiscate my equipment.

There is no such thing as a free mobile phone, smart phone-tablet or internet access system. Everyone must pay for mobile phone, broadband cable-fiber optic or DSL-T1 access. Sure, one can poach the very low powered Wi-Fi systems of their neighbors in urban areas (if not encrypted), but that wireless internet is super slow and won't work for mobile or smart phones at all. The telecommunications corporations have made sure of that.

[ronliskey]

The point here is free as in "free speech", i.e. the freedom to control what is installed on your phone and what that software shares with others about your behavior with or without your knowledge.

But speaking of "free" in the marketer's sense, which is how most North Americans are indoctrinated to think of it, there are many models besides the proprietary one you mention.

In time, mobile phone networks may become publicly managed services like water and sewage distribution, war making, toxic waste cleanup, highway systems, fire fighting, policing, libraries, primary education, weather service, tax incentives, fat congressional retirement and healthcare benefits, coast guard, natural resource management, national park systems, national elections, flood mitigation, highway patrol, aviation safety, food and drug safety, business permits, federal judiciary, earthquake preparation...

Such services often begin as private initiatives until they become so universally required that the inherent contradictions of for profit control of essential services motivates a community to make changes. Not saying this is certain to happen for the mobile phone industry, but it's also not likely to forever be a game of well-connected monopolies.

I think the best way to break mobile phone and network monopolies is to support free software (as in free speech).

Two more thoughts:

1. Freedom isn't free.
2. It might be wise to avoid 'always' and 'never' when predicting the future.

[Aldo El Hefe]

The point here is free as in "free speech", i.e. the freedom to control what is installed on your phone and what that software shares with others about your behavior with or without your knowledge.

But speaking of "free" in the marketer's sense, which is how most North Americans are indoctrinated to think of it, there are many models besides the proprietary one you mention.

In time, mobile phone networks may become publicly managed services like water and sewage distribution, war making, toxic waste cleanup, highway systems, fire fighting, policing, libraries, primary education, weather service, tax incentives, fat congressional retirement and healthcare benefits, coast guard, natural resource management, national park systems, national elections, flood mitigation, highway patrol, aviation safety, food and drug safety, business permits, federal judiciary, earthquake preparation...

Such services often begin as private initiatives until they become so universally required that the inherent contradictions of for profit control of essential services motivates a community to make changes. Not saying this is certain to happen for the mobile phone industry, but it's also not likely to forever be a game of well-connected monopolies.

I think the best way to break mobile phone and network monopolies is to support free software (as in free speech).

I think it would be great to break the telecommunications monopolies on this planet, but I also think that is impossible. These corporations have invested billions of dollars in their infrastructure, so much that I think there is no way any public agency could buy their systems or build their own systems. The closest thing is for people to buy their own equipment and lease the spaces for their personal transceivers and antennas that could be shared collectively.
I have a friend who bought property on Cobb Mtn., he was approached by Verizon to put a mobile phone tower up there many years ago. Since he is not living there, he leased some space for a radio tower. He got a road paved into his property and grid power installed too, plus what the corporation pays him for rent each month pays his loan (mortgage). But, some day he might want to live there, and having a radio tower nearby is not a good thing at all.
I'm all for free speech, free to air communications and open source programs, and if there was any way to break away from the corporations control of telecommunications I would welcome it. The scariest thing to me is when the corporate gods want to privatize things that are public, especially public parks and water systems.