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authorLudovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>2016-03-15 10:30:55 +0100
committerLudovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>2016-03-15 10:34:29 +0100
commite3009f6000aba83d69d000151157b0b921efae41 (patch)
tree7b713eeb84257a4543231d51d4f104d811e0595e /doc
parent20109e07bde4be526df684f8606a189b1378cb52 (diff)
doc: Add "Hardware Considerations" node.
Suggested by Nils Gillmann <niasterisk@grrlz.net>. * doc/guix.texi (Hardware Considerations): New node. (operating-system Reference): Mention it.
Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
-rw-r--r--doc/guix.texi63
1 files changed, 57 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index c016eaf3c9..b3ba5ce4fb 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -154,6 +154,12 @@ Utilities
* Invoking guix challenge:: Challenging substitute servers.
* Invoking guix container:: Process isolation.
+Invoking @command{guix build}
+
+* Common Build Options:: Build options for most commands.
+* Package Transformation Options:: Creating variants of packages.
+* Additional Build Options:: Options specific to 'guix build'.
+
GNU Distribution
* System Installation:: Installing the whole operating system.
@@ -165,6 +171,15 @@ GNU Distribution
* Bootstrapping:: GNU/Linux built from scratch.
* Porting:: Targeting another platform or kernel.
+System Installation
+
+* Limitations:: What you can expect.
+* Hardware Considerations:: Supported hardware.
+* USB Stick Installation:: Preparing the installation medium.
+* Preparing for Installation:: Networking, partitioning, etc.
+* Proceeding with the Installation:: The real thing.
+* Building the Installation Image:: How this comes to be.
+
System Configuration
* Using the Configuration System:: Customizing your GNU system.
@@ -5657,11 +5672,12 @@ link that follows: @pxref{Help,,, info, Info: An Introduction}. Hit
@end ifinfo
@menu
-* Limitations:: What you can expect.
-* USB Stick Installation:: Preparing the installation medium.
-* Preparing for Installation:: Networking, partitioning, etc.
-* Proceeding with the Installation:: The real thing.
-* Building the Installation Image:: How this comes to be.
+* Limitations:: What you can expect.
+* Hardware Considerations:: Supported hardware.
+* USB Stick Installation:: Preparing the installation medium.
+* Preparing for Installation:: Networking, partitioning, etc.
+* Proceeding with the Installation:: The real thing.
+* Building the Installation Image:: How this comes to be.
@end menu
@node Limitations
@@ -5707,6 +5723,40 @@ You have been warned! But more than a disclaimer, this is an invitation
to report issues (and success stories!), and to join us in improving it.
@xref{Contributing}, for more info.
+
+@node Hardware Considerations
+@subsection Hardware Considerations
+
+@cindex hardware support on GuixSD
+GNU@tie{}GuixSD focuses on respecting the user's computing freedom. It
+builds around the kernel Linux-libre, which means that only hardware for
+which free software drivers and firmware exists is supported. Nowadays,
+a wide range of off-the-shelf hardware is supported on
+GNU/Linux-libre---from keyboards to graphics cards to scanners and
+Ethernet controllers. Unfortunately, there are still areas where
+hardware vendors deny users control over their own computing, and such
+hardware is not supported on GuixSD.
+
+@cindex WiFi, hardware support
+One of the main areas where free drivers or firmware is lacking is WiFi
+devices. WiFi devices known to work include those using Atheros chips
+(AR9271 and AR7010), which corresponds to the @code{ath9k} Linux-libre
+driver, and for which free firmware exists and is available
+out-of-the-box on GuixSD, as part of @var{%base-firmware}
+(@pxref{operating-system Reference, @code{firmware}}).
+
+@cindex RYF, Respects Your Freedom
+The @uref{https://www.fsf.org/, Free Software Foundation} runs
+@uref{https://www.fsf.org/ryf, @dfn{Respect Your Freedom}} (RYF), a
+certification program for hardware products that respect your freedom
+and your privacy and ensure that you have control over your device. We
+encourage you to check the list of RYF-certified hardware.
+
+Another useful resource is the @uref{https://www.h-node.org/, H-Node}
+web site. It contains a catalog of hardware devices with information
+about their support in GNU/Linux.
+
+
@node USB Stick Installation
@subsection USB Stick Installation
@@ -6235,7 +6285,8 @@ the Linux kernel. @xref{Initial RAM Disk}.
List of firmware packages loadable by the operating system kernel.
The default includes firmware needed for Atheros-based WiFi devices
-(Linux-libre module @code{ath9k}.)
+(Linux-libre module @code{ath9k}). @xref{Hardware Considerations}, for
+more info on supported hardware.
@item @code{host-name}
The host name.