The Latin American Foundation of Free Software announced the release of Linux-libre 6.13-gnu, a completely free version of the Linux 6.13 kernel. This version has been cleaned of firmware and drivers containing non-free components or restricted areas of code. Linux-libre has disabled the ability for the kernel to load external non-free components that are not part of the kernel’s supply, and any references to the use of non-free components have been removed from the documentation.
To achieve this cleaning process, Linux-libre created a universal script that detects binary inserts and eliminates them. This script, known as deblob, contains thousands of templates to identify non-free elements. Patches generated based on this script are also available for download. The Linux-libre kernel is recommended for use in distributions that adhere to the Free System Distribution Guidelines set by the Free Software Foundation. Distributions like Dragora Linux, Trisquel, Dyne: Bolic, Gnewsense, Parabola, Musix, and Kongoni utilize the Linux-libre core.
In the Linux-libre 6.13-gnu release, several new drivers, including RTW8812A, RTW8821A, BMI270, AW88081, NTP8835, and NTP8918, had their code cleaned. The DTS files for the Aarch64 architecture also underwent blob cleaning. Additionally, code updates were made for drivers like WilC1000, RT1320, SH4-Siu, IVPU, BTNXPUART, Adreno, and R8169, as well as support for touchscreen systems on X86 architecture. Drivers for RTL8192E, RTL8712, VT6656, and Ti-ST were removed from the kernel.