After two and a half years since the last release, the release of the Hyperbola GNU/Linux-libre 0.4 project, which is included in the Free Software Foundation's list of completely free distributions, has been released. Hyperbola is based on stabilized slices of the Arch Linux package base, with some patches ported from Debian to improve stability and security. Hyperbola builds are generated for the i686 and x86_64 architectures (1.1 GB).
The project is developed in accordance with the principle of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and is aimed at providing users with a simple, lightweight, stable and secure environment. Unlike the Arch Linux rolling update model, Hyperbola uses a classic release model with a long update release cycle for already released versions. sysvinit is used as an initialization system with porting of some developments from Devuan and Parabola projects (Hyperbola developers are opponents of systemd).
The distribution includes only free applications and comes with a Linux-Libre kernel stripped of non-free binary firmware elements. The project repository contains 5257 packages. To block the installation of non-free packages, blacklisting and blocking at the dependency conflict level are used. Installing packages from the AUR is not supported.
The release of Hyperbola 0.4 is positioned as a transition on the path to the previously announced migration to OpenBSD technologies. In the future, the focus will be on the HyperbolaBSD project, which provides for the creation of a distribution kit supplied 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 cleaning of components that can be dispensed with and the inclusion in alternative packages. For example, a Lumina desktop has been added that can run without D-Bus and therefore D-Bus support has been removed. Also removed support for Bluetooth, PAM, elogind, PolicyKit, ConsoleKit, PulseAudio and Avahi. Components for Bluetooth functionality have been removed due to complexity and potential security issues.
In addition to sysvinit, experimental support for the runit init system has been added. The graphics stack has been moved to Xenocara components developed in OpenBSD (X.Org 7.7 with x-server 1.20.13 + patches). Instead of OpenSSL, the LibreSSL library is involved. Removed systemd, Rust and Node.js and their associated dependencies.
Issues in Linux that pushed the Hyperbola developers to switch to OpenBSD technologies:
- Adoption of technical means of copyright protection (DRM) in the Linux kernel, for example, support for HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) copy protection technology for audio and video content was included in the kernel.
- Development of an initiative to develop drivers for the Linux kernel in the Rust language. Hyperbola developers are unhappy with the use of the centralized Cargo repository and problems with the freedom to distribute packages with Rust. In particular, the Rust and Cargo trademark terms forbid retaining the project name in the event of changes or patches being applied (a package may only be redistributed under the Rust and Cargo name if it is built from the original source code, otherwise prior written permission is required from the Rust Core team or name change).
- Development of the Linux kernel without regard to 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 begin to impose redundant functionality without providing a way to disable it at build time. Examples include mapping to required dependencies PulseAudio in gnome-control-center, SystemD in GNOME, Rust in Firefox, and Java in gettext.
Source: opennet.ru