[Bradford] MFS Talk: Tue 17 Jul, "The Quest for a 100% Free Software Laptop", Bob Ham

[Simon Ward]

The next Manchester Free Software meeting will take place on the
17th July at Madlab. Bob Ham will be talking about his quest for a
100% free software laptop. Full details below.

  Talk: The Quest for a 100% Free Software Laptop
  Speaker: Bob Ham
  Location: Madlab (Manchester Digital Laboratory)
  Address: 36–40 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HN
  (Between Thomas St and the Craft Centre, opposite A Bar Called
  Common)
  Map: http://osm.org/go/evgpgP04z-?m=1
  Date: Tuesday, 17th July 2012
  Time: 19:00–20:30

Details
-------
A great deal of computing hardware is produced today that requires
proprietary software in order to operate.  Some of the worst
culprits in this respect are laptops, whose manufacturers rarely
support free software.  Many of the components used in modern
laptops likewise require proprietary software either in the form of
proprietary drivers or proprietary firmware (the odious “binary
blob”).

In this talk, Bob Ham discusses his quest to find a modern laptop
whose hardware is fully supported by free software and showing that
it is not only possible but easily done.  Topics covered will
include the Coreboot project, FSF‐approved 100% free software
GNU+Linux distributions and hardware components that are supported
by free software drivers.

The event will include a Q&A session, discussion and then lively
debate in the pub afterwards.

Speaker
-------
Bob Ham

  “I’ve been using GNU+Linux and advocating free software for over
  10 years.  I have helped develop numerous free software projects
  including professional audio systems, high level database APIs,
  and more recently started working on software for free phones
  such as the Openmoko Freerunner and Golden Delicious GTA04.  I
  work as a GNU+Linux system administrator.”

Location
--------
The meeting will take place at the usual time, 7pm, at Madlab on Edge
Street in the Northern Quarter.  “(Between Thomas St and the Craft
Centre, opposite A Bar Called Common)”.  The venue provides wifi.  The
talk is followed by an informal discussion in the bar opposite (A
Place Called Common <http://www.aplacecalledcommon.co.uk/>).

Transport
---------
Parking: Around the venue there are parking meter bays that become
zero cost after 8pm on Tuesday so you will have to pay up until then
and the maximum stay is 2 hours BUT MAKE SURE YOU VERIFY THIS.  There
are paid parking lots around the venue, the light blue P in this
OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab
<http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.48427&lon=-2.23652&zoom=15&layers=M>.

A lot of them, perhaps all, are are owned by NCP
<http://www.ncp.co.uk/>.  If you can’t decide otherwise then park in
Manchester Arndale <http://www.manchesterarndale.com/directions.aspx>.

Public Transport: Manchester Victoria (MCV) train station, Shudehill
tram station and Manchester Piccadilly bus station are all fairly
close to Madlab, see OpenStreetMap centred on Madlab
<http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.48427&lon=-2.23652&zoom=15&layers=M>.
Manchester Piccadilly (MAN) train station and Manchester Central Coach
Station are not too far either.

Further details at <http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester/2012-07-17>.

More Information
----------------
General information about Manchester Free Software meetings can be
found on our website.

 * http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester/Meetings
 * http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Manchester/2012-07-17

If you would like five minutes to tell us about something, please
contact us at <fsuk-manchester-team at nongnu.org>.

Simon Ward
-- 
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.—John Gall
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