After two and a half years since the last release, the Hyperbola GNU/Linux-libre 0.4 project has been formed, which is included in the list of fully free distributions supported by the Free Software Foundation. Hyperbola is based on stabilized snapshots of the Arch Linux package base with the inclusion of some patches from Debian to enhance stability and security. Hyperbola builds are available for the i686 and x86_64 architectures (1.1 GB).
The project develops according to the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle and aims to provide users with a simple, lightweight, stable, and secure environment. Unlike the rolling update model of Arch Linux, Hyperbola uses a classical release model with a long update cycle for already released versions. Sysvinit is used as the initialization system, with some elements ported from the Devuan and Parabola projects (the developers of Hyperbola oppose systemd).
The distribution includes only free applications and is shipped with the Linux-Libre kernel, stripped of non-free binary firmware elements. The project's repository contains 5,257 packages. A blacklist and conflict dependency blocking are used to prevent the installation of non-free packages. Installation of packages from AUR is not supported.
The release of Hyperbola 0.4 is positioned as a transitional stage towards the previously announced migration to OpenBSD technologies. In the future, the main focus will be on the HyperbolaBSD project, which plans to create a distribution delivered under a copyleft license but based on an alternative kernel and system environment forked from OpenBSD. Under the GPLv3 and LGPLv3 licenses, the HyperbolaBSD project will develop its own components aimed at replacing non-free or GPL-incompatible parts of the system.
The main changes in version 0.4 are related to the cleanup of components that can be omitted and the inclusion of alternative packages. For example, the Lumina desktop has been added, which can function without D-Bus, thus support for D-Bus has been removed. Support for Bluetooth, PAM, elogind, PolicyKit, ConsoleKit, PulseAudio, and Avahi has also been eliminated. Bluetooth components were removed due to their complexity and potential security issues.
In addition to sysvinit, experimental support for the runit initialization system has been added. The graphical stack has been transitioned to components of Xenocara, developed in OpenBSD (X.Org 7.7 with x-server 1.20.13 + patches). The LibreSSL library has been used instead of OpenSSL. systemd, Rust, Node.js, and their related dependencies have been removed.
Issues in Linux that prompted Hyperbola developers to switch to OpenBSD technologies:
- The inclusion of copyright protection technical measures (DRM) in the Linux kernel, for example, support for HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) copy protection technology for audio and video content has been integrated into the kernel.
- The development of a driver's initiative for the Linux kernel in Rust. Hyperbola developers are dissatisfied with the use of the centralized Cargo repository and the issues with package distribution freedom in Rust. In particular, the trademark usage conditions of Rust and Cargo prohibit retaining the name of the project in case of modifications or applying patches (a package can be distributed under the name Rust and Cargo only if it is built from the original source code; otherwise, prior written permission from the Rust Core team or a name change is required).
- Development of the Linux kernel without regard for security (Grsecurity is no longer a free project, and the KSPP (Kernel Self Protection Project) initiative is stagnating).
- Many components of the GNU user environment and system utilities are starting to impose excessive functionality, not providing options for disabling it during the build. For example, PulseAudio is cited as a mandatory dependency in gnome-control-center, SystemD in GNOME, Rust in Firefox, and Java in gettext.
Source: opennet.ru
