14 DAY TRIAL // A new GNU Linux-libre kernel has been released for those seeking 100% freedom for their personal computers, open source projects, etc., the GNU Linux-libre 4.17-gnu kernel.
Based on the recently released Linux kernel 4.17, the GNU Linux-libre 4.17-gnu kernel borrows all the new features incorporated upstream but without including any proprietary drivers or firmware. Apart from the usual deblobbing, this release includes a free, open-source version of the Dreamcast Yamaha AICA sound driver.
"The greatest news is that the driver for Dreamcast Yamaha AICA sound hardware is no longer cleaned up: the firmware for it is Free Software, and Jason Self's upcoming linux-libre-firmware release will have it," said Alexandre Oliva. "No other significant changes were made, just the usual assortment of adjustments."
As far as the new features included in the Linux 4.17 kernel go, we can mention support for Intel's Cannon Lake platform, HDMI/DP audio support for AMD Radeon GPUs via the open-source AMDGPU graphics driver, Intel HDCP support, support for the AMD Radeon Vega 12 GPU, and support for the Andes NDS32 architecture.
A kernel for those who seek 100% freedom for their PCs
If you seek 100% freedom for your PC and the open-source operating system you're using, you might want to install the GNU Linux-libre 4.17 kernel. It's a perfect replacement for the kernel your distro ships with, which still includes lots of proprietary drivers, but it's also recommended that you don't use devices that require non-free firmware.
The GNU Linux-libre 4.17 kernel is available for download as a source tarball that you will need to compile on your GNU/Linux distribution. Binaries should be available for download over the next few days as well if you don't want to compile the kernel. For more details about the GNU Linux-libre project, check out the official website.