doc: Add "Hardware Considerations" node.

Suggested by Nils Gillmann <niasterisk@grrlz.net>.

* doc/guix.texi (Hardware Considerations): New node.
(operating-system Reference): Mention it.
This commit is contained in:
Ludovic Courtès 2016-03-15 10:30:55 +01:00
parent 20109e07bd
commit e3009f6000

View file

@ -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.