From b713dace1eddeb60bb79c63f32a7dfbe530fd38f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Leah Rowe Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2022 07:35:30 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] People constantly fail to understand what Libreboot is. This should fix that --- site/index.md | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 26 insertions(+) diff --git a/site/index.md b/site/index.md index 50e9234..f1a0b03 100644 --- a/site/index.md +++ b/site/index.md @@ -43,6 +43,32 @@ handles only basic initialization and jumps to a separate an [automated build system](docs/build/) that builds complete *ROM images*, for more robust installation. Documentation is provided. +How does Libreboot differ from regular coreboot? +------------------------------------------------ + +Contrary to popular opinion, Libreboot's primary purpose is not to provide a +de-blobbed coreboot setup; it is merely one of Libreboot's policies, and an +important one, but it is nonetheless a minor aspect of Libreboot. + +In the same way that Trisquel is a GNU+Linux distribution, Libreboot is +a *coreboot distribution*. If you want to build a ROM image from scratch, you +otherwise have to perform expert-level configuration of coreboot, GRUB and +whatever other software you need, to prepare the ROM image. With *Libreboot*, +you can literally download from Git or a source archive, and run `make`, and it +will build entire ROM images. Libreboot's automated build system, named `lbmk` +(Libreboot MaKe), builds these ROM images automatically, without any user input +or intervention required. Configuration has already been performed in advance. + +If you were to build regular coreboot, without using Libreboot's automated +build system, it would require a lot more intervention and decent technical +knowledge to produce a working configuration. + +Reguar binary releases of Libreboot provide these +ROM images pre-compiled, and you can simply install them, with no special +knowledge or skill except the ability to +follow [simplified instructions, written for non-technical +users](docs/install/). + How to help -----------