Open-Sourcing our Firmware (frame.work)

Article summary

Framework, a company that produces modular laptops, has open-sourced its Embedded Controller firmware, allowing users to modify and share it. The firmware handles low-level functionality such as power sequencing and keyboard interfacing. The company aims to replace other proprietary firmware with open-source alternatives in the future. Framework also provides guides for installing Linux on its laptops.

Main themes

• open-source firmware
• language selection
• internationalization
• Coreboot support
• baseband firmware
• localization challenges

What commenters say

• Using flags to represent languages can be confusing and inaccurate, especially for multilingual countries.
• Some argue that flags are a sufficient and recognizable way to represent languages, despite potential issues.
• Open-source baseband firmware is desirable, but certification and regulatory issues make it challenging to implement.
• Coreboot support is not currently available for Framework laptops, but the company is interested in exploring it.
• A signed shim loader may be used to allow users to run custom firmware while maintaining security.
• The use of full language names instead of flags could be a more accurate and inclusive way to represent languages.
• The complexity of internationalization and localization can make it difficult to implement language selection in a way that satisfies all users.