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<h1 id="software-freedom-conservancy-proposal-for-firmware-liberation-project">Firmware Liberation Project</h1>

<p>Conservancy plans to select a class of product in the Linux-based embedded

system space.  For this product, Conservancy will launch, or assist, a

project that creates a functioning alternative firmware for those devices.

The promise of GPL enforcement is only realized through actual, practical use

and improvement of the released software for users.</p>

<h2 id="gpl-enforcement-needs-follow-through">GPL Enforcement Needs Follow-Through</h2>

<p>Simply enforcing the GPL is an important first step, and Conservancy

  <a href="enforcement-strategy.html">continues our efforts in that

  regard</a>. However, we can

  replicate <a href="/copyleft-compliance/enforcement-strategy.html#brief-history-of-user-focused-gpl-enforcement">the

  success found with OpenWrt</a> <em>only by</em> a substantial

  effort <strong>after</strong> enforcement occurs to turn the compliant

  source release into a viable alternative firmware for the platform.</p>

<p>Conservancy has seen non-compliant Linux-based firmwares on refrigerators,

  baby monitors, virtual assistants, soundbars, doorbells, home security

  cameras, police body cameras, cars, AV receivers, and televisions.  We

  believe that building an alternative firmware for one of these classes of

  devices — or joining our work with an existing alternative firmware project

  that is struggling due to lack of sources available — will lead to

  more palpable software freedom for users of these device.</p>

<h2 id="limited-success-of-alternative-hardware">Limited Success of

  Alternative Hardware</h2>

<p>Alternative hardware projects remain an essential component of small

  device freedom. Conservancy supports and engages with communities that seek

  to source and build IoT-style devices from the ground up. We’re excited to

  see deployable boards that allow Maker efforts to create new devices.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, we remain ever-cognizant that FOSS succeeded on servers,

  laptop, desktop, and wireless router computers <em>precisely</em> because

  users could buy commodity hardware at any store and install FOSS

  alternatives to the vendor-provided software.  Throughout the history of

  FOSS, most new users who seek to experience software freedom want to do so

  with their existing devices first.  Many don't even know much about the

  issues involved in software liberation <em>until they've already purchased

  hardware</em>.  Conservancy therefore believes support of alternative

  firmwares for such devices is paramount.</p>

<h3 id="demonstrating-the-power-of-software-freedom">Demonstrating the power

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