FAQ¶
For Beginners¶
What is FLOSS?¶
FLOSS stands for Free/Libre Open Source Software and is software with its source code available to the public and allowed to be modified, improved or whatever else users feel like doing do it. It grants you freedom.
What is GNU/Linux?¶
A “Linux” operating system, properly described as GNU/Linux, is an operating system based upon the Linux kernel. The Linux kernel was created by Linus Torvalds initially for his own use during his years in college. It was used with the GNU operating system. GNU, created by Richard Stallman, is the entire operating system, minus the kernel. So, when people say “Linux operating system” they should be saying “GNU/Linux operating system”, or even a “GNU operating system”.
Both Torvalds and Stallman released their software to the world for free.
What is the difference between free and libre?¶
English language more often uses word “free” to describe something that is gratis – while it is true that all the software in FLOSS is gratis, it is not mandatory to be like that. The important part of FLOSS is that is has the liberty to be examined, learn about it, modify it to your needs without any restriction of copyright license which forbids you to use it as you want.
Often said it is “free as in freedom.”
Is GNU/Linux for hackers, programmers and developers? Must I be a computer expert to use PureOS or a Librem?¶
No, not at all. There are many people that do in fact use GNU/Linux to program and develop applications for various operating systems (not just for Linux) but GNU/Linux is easily used by many people of all levels of computing skill.
PureOS is designed to be user friendly by utilizing one of the most popular desktop environments available called Gnome 3. Gnome 3 works well with both touch and traditional mouse and keyboard user inputs to allow for easy use. The Librem has well known traditional ports and utilizes off the shelf parts for easy replacement if something needs replacement.
I still have favorite programs from my Windows/Mac computer. Can I still use them?¶
It depends. No Windows applications will run natively on PureOS. However, some Windows applications can be run with an application called Wine. Check on the availability of your program. Applications designed for Apple products can not run on a GNU/Linux based machine such as a Librem.
Additionally, you can also run Windows or Apple operating systems within our virtual box application, Boxes, which would allow you to run the applications that you need.
Please also note that Windows based programs run as non-free source/proprietary code and Purism can not offer a guarantee that your Librem will continue to be secure if you choose to install. We do not recommend doing this for your own privacy and security but you are welcome to as the Librem is your machine.
I’ve heard that I have to type in complicated commands to use Linux in something called a terminal.¶
You don’t have to. There is also a “terminal” in Windows, Apple and Google machines as well but like those operating systems, complicated command lines are going away in favor of graphic user interface (GUI) focus. PureOS does have a terminal just like all Linux distributions but it is not needed in many situations for newer users.
I’m used to using an Android phone and a Windows desktop. Will this computer work the same as what I’m used to?¶
All operating systems have their differences when comparing, for instance, a mobile operating system like Android to a computer focused one like Windows. Apple has differences from Windows as well. However, each operating system allows you to do the same or similar things - it may just be a different button to push or icon to click.
Web browsers, applications and file managers will all work in PureOS/Librem in ways that you are used to on other devices. They may look a little different than what you’re used to, but they will get you to the same place.
Do you have an app store?¶
Yes! Our operating system, PureOS, has an app store called “Software” where many different applications are available giving you many additional gaming, productivity, video, graphics, and office choices. Click here to learn how to install software using the Software application.
Can I watch Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video?¶
Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime distribute content with restrictive DRM technologies that Purism does not support natively through PureBrowser. However, there are other browsers that you are free to install if you choose to.
YouTube has HTML5 support and will play without additional input.
Does a Librem have Flash, Silverlight, Java and other plug-ins preinstalled?¶
No, due to major security concerns. Most websites are switching to HTML5 due to these security issues. However, you can install an OS which supports this proprietary software, but have in mind that this is a bad security practice.
Are there any tutorial videos or additional information on PureOS/Linux?¶
Often times when we think of an operating system we think of how it looks and feels. This is called the user interface or user experience. PureOS 3 uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI, also sometimes called “Desktop Environment”) called Gnome 3. Information on this user interface can be found here:
Where can I find out more about PureOS?¶
Why should I be concerned about security and privacy issues on my computer?¶
The same reasons you are concerned over unwanted people entering your property, peeping through your windows, or installing cameras in your house. These same physical rights apply directly to digital rights. You should not want unwanted people having access to your digital files, your photos, emails, website history, or your camera or microphone. Your home is your private life, your digital life should have the same rights and protections.
Will the Librem help me avoid data breaches?¶
Properly used, Librem devices will make it by magnitudes harder to have data breaches compared to Windows and Mac OS X. It has integrated full disk encryption, all of the best GNU/Linux security practices, sandboxed applications, and hardened security features.
What kind of cyber threats can be prevented with a Librem device?¶
All threats are bonded a lot to user interaction with their device. Librem’s underlying software by default do not track or log your key presses, location, software usage. Default operating system (PureOS) has app isolation (with Wayland) and SELinux enabled.
Do you put up ads or steal and sell my data?¶
No. We will not show you advertisements nor do we care about mining your data. Your data, your pictures, your browsing history – that’s for you and you alone. We exist as a company because we personally wanted to have better control of our own data. And we think you do, too.
Do I need special proprietary hardware, software or cables to use a Librem device?¶
No! We hate those proprietary things! Your Librem will work with industry standards such as HDMI, USB, hardware after market parts and all software is free and libre. RAM, hard drives or solid state drives, batteries and power supplies are all “off the shelf” and available for purchase from online and big box stores.
How do I talk to a real person in case I need to?¶
You can:
Join our community Matrix chat rooms
Write in our community forums
Join the
#purismIRC channel on Freenode
Librem Laptops¶
What is a Librem?¶
The Librem name originated with the desire to make a truly freedom respecting laptop and phone. Libre is an adjective meaning “free, at liberty” and is used to distinguish it from gratis which means “free of charge”. Libre is used extensively in the GNU/Linux community to show that software is free in the sense that its source code is available as opposed to non-free software where the source code can not be viewed. Libre also translates easily to a variety of languages. The “m” was added to help it roll of the tongue.
What are the benefits of using a Librem?¶
The Librem runs PureOS as its operating system. This operating system is based upon the Linux kernel and is viewed by privacy and security experts as being incredibly secure. This is due to it being free software where the source code is available, meaning that people with proper technical skill can easily read, view and understand the language of the operating system. Operating systems that you are used to such as Windows and OS X are non-free and the source code is held by Microsoft and Apple. This non-free software, where the source code is not available in proprietary OSes makes it impossible to fully read and understand the computer language thereby making it impossible to fully know what your Microsoft or Apple based computer is doing or if it is secure.
Why does it cost so much? What are the benefits of paying more?¶
We are working hard to bring down the price of the Librems. In fact, we were able to reduce the price of the Librem 13 in April 2016 by over $200! In the simplest terms, it is the sheer economics of supply and demand. As there is more demand for privacy respecting and secure computing, the price will come down because as we will be able to order more parts for our wonderful computers.
The truth is that we need capital in order to grow as a business. We are already working with thin margins. The benefits to supporting a privacy and security focused computer manufacturer are vast but the decision to help us is yours.
How do the Hardware Kill Switches (HKS) work? Why do they matter?¶
The HKS physically cut the power going to the microphone/webcam and the WiFi/Bluetooth radios in the device. There have been several cases where either big government agencies or nearby hackers have remotely accessed these devices to turn on computers or otherwise view or listen in through the microphone or web camera. Software solutions of turning the camera on and off can be easily bypassed. The HKS physically cut the electronic circuit to the accessory. No power, no work. When the switches are thrown the accessory is, quite simply, off, and can not be remotely turned back on.
This matters as a security feature and for your own piece of mind. No longer do you have to worry about private communications being recorded or someone looking back at you through the webcam. Parents can especially enjoy this feature to help protect their children.
The switch for the WiFi can be thrown and along with pulling out the Ethernet cord will ensure you the convenience of true offline computing. Then when you want to use either the microphone/web camera or the WiFi/Bluetooth, simply return power to the accessory by turning the switch.
What are the Librem’s cases made of?¶
The outer shell is solid aluminum with a black anodized finish.
Do you make the case yourself, or are they from a third party?¶
They are custom fabricated for us.
Will the Librem have replacement and upgrade parts?¶
Yes, it is possible to order replacements for the wireless card, RAM, 2.5” SATA drive and M.2 SSD, power adapter. Batteries are available within the USA, international shipment for batteries is on a case-by-case basis (due to carrier restrictions such as this: Shipping lithium batteries).
What CPU/RAM/storage options are available?¶
Please refer to our Products page for more information.
Do Librem laptops with coreboot support booting from USB key or SD/MMC slot?¶
Yes, just press ESC when the Purism logo appears, then select your device to boot.
Would I be able to install (myself) my own choice of WiFi card, RAM, second HDD/SSD and M.2 SSD?¶
Yes, you can unscrew the back and add your own upgrades, like storage, RAM or WiFi card. Aluminium 2.5” SSD mounting frame required for mounting 2.5” disk is not included if you do not order 2.5” disk, but you can purchase it from our Shop.
Can I install a different OS on my Librem laptop?¶
While we are preloading PureOS which, alongside Parabola, Trisquel and few others, is the strictest of GNU/Linux distributions (we strip all binary blobs from the Linux kernel) you can easily install any less strict up-to-date GNU/Linux distribution, such as Fedora, Debian and Ubuntu. You can even install them alongside PureOS, and simply choose what OS to run from the boot screen.
We have not tried installing a non-GNU/Linux-based operating system, but the Librem is your computer, so you can do with it whatever you wish, even if that includes installing non-free Windows or other operating systems. We obviously don’t recommend this, but it is your computer to do what you wish with it.
Do Librem laptops come with disk encryption software by default?¶
Yes, with full disk encryption provided by our OEM system setup (PureOS). The first time you start your Librem laptop, you will have to setup the disk encryption passphrase. Here is the PureOS installation guide.
What mystery code, or binary blobs remain with Purism laptops? Is there any concern with them?¶
Security is a game of depth, and Purism goes deeper than any manufacturer by avoiding blobs or mystery code in the top 4 layers of a computer:
applications
operating system
kernel
bootloader
At the firmware level, we utilize coreboot instead of a proprietary BIOS/UEFI, a huge advancement for current high-end laptops. A few binary blobs still remain within coreboot, however.
We are “as close to free software foundations respects your freedom as possible with current Intel CPUs” but are spending real money to advance that toward complete binary freedom.
Librem Phone¶
How easy will it be for me to switch from Android or iOS to the Librem 5?¶
We welcome you to read this guide.
Can I transfer my photos, files, downloads from Android or iOS to the Librem 5?¶
Yes, you will be able to use the phone as a storage device, that can show up on your computer by just plugging in the USB cable and viewing the folders. This will allow you to import or export files, photos, documents, with ease. With the Librem 5 there is no proprietary software that locks your files into proprietary formats, allowing easy sharing of the content you want to share.
Will I be able to communicate from my Librem 5 to other phones?¶
Yes, you will be able to make regular unencrypted phone calls to any phone number. You will also be able to communicate securely by using the phone dialing application and messaging application, that can run on the Librem 5 phone, Android based phones, and iOS based phones, and any computing device.
Will communicating from my Librem 5 to other phones compromise my privacy or security?¶
The Librem 5 will be the most secure when communicating with another Librem 5 phone, communicating via an encrypted app on a Librem 5 to an Android or iOS encrypted app is the second best option available.
Will my existing SIM card work? What countries and networks will be supported?¶
Please refer to the Librem 5’s supported networks.
Will I be able to use emergency services (e.g. 911 or 999)?¶
The Librem 5 will work with most carriers using the 3G/4G data+voice modem Carriers provide technological support for dialing emergency services.
Are all hardware components running completely free software with source code available?¶
Based on our testing: the CPU, GPU, Bootloader and all software will run free software. We are still evaluating and testing the WiFi and Bluetooth chips and their firmware. The mobile baseband will most likely use ROM loaded firmware, but a free software kernel driver. We intend to invest time and money toward freeing any non-free firmware.
Can I connect the Librem phone to a monitor/keyboard/mouse?¶
Yes, the Librem phones support DP-alt-mode. Using a USB-C adapter which supports DisplayPort or HDMI out and at least two spare USB ports, you can connect a monitor, wired keyboard and mouse at the same time to your Librem Phone. Depending on the adapter, the Librem phone may be simultaneously charged.
Can the Librem phones run Windows, iOS, or OS/2…?¶
Not likely, and we will not expend resources to test this.
Will the phone receive updates after launch?¶
Yes. All hardware Purism releases gets regular security and performance updates within PureOS.
Will Twitter, Fandango, My Bank, etc. work on a Librem phone?¶
Yes, any web based app will work through the browser. Over time, these sites will either use progressive web applications, or could have a native app.
What apps will be available?¶
PureOS on Librem 5 already has a lot of apps, as almost everything that can run on a desktop computer can be run on Librem 5 as well. However, just a number of them are really usable on a phone sized screen. Check PureOS wiki pages to see:
The lists are constantly updated as more and more software is being adapted to scale nicely on phone.
Will I be able to open Word or Excel documents sent via email?¶
At delivery we do not plan to support the reader or renderer for these proprietary formats, but this is a top priority to solve after product delivery.
Can I remove the battery and replace it?¶
Yes, like all Purism products, the case itself will allow you to access device internals, and the battery is removable and can be replaced with ease.
Will the Librem phone run coreboot and have the Intel ME neutralized?¶
The Librem 5 is not Intel-based; it is based on an i.MX 8M chipset, so neither coreboot nor the Intel Management Engine are used. The chipset will be completely free software without any binaries whatsoever.
Why don’t you build a free UI ontop of Mer (Sailfish OS)? Or resurrect Firefox OS? Or insert-name-here?¶
We want to promote a pure and unified stack, not have a separate mobile OS with proprietary bits or a completely different middleware stack. We want to support the community efforts of GNOME, KDE and UBPorts, and allow for any GNU+Linux to work out-of-the-box providing mainline improvements that work not just on mobile but across the device spectrum. The Librem phone is a new approach to use a regular Linux system and adopt it to mobile use-cases instead of creating a completely new system. We do not create a walled garden, instead we tear down these walls, creating an open utopia. A fully standards-based freedom-oriented system, based on Debian and many other upstream projects, has never been done before; we will be the first to seriously attempt this.
You can also learn more about our position on GNOME and KDE further below in this FAQ.
Will you be running GNOME, Plasma, or your own custom UI?¶
We will be working with GNOME/GTK, KDE/Plasma and Ubuntu Touch communities, and have partnered with the foundations behind them for the middleware layer. PureOS currently is GNOME-based and look forward to working with GNOME as an upstream as well as GNOME’s OS and design-centric development model; however we will also test, support, and develop with KDE and the KDE community, and of course we will support Qt for application development.
Learn more about the rationale behind this approach:
Will this be an “open hardware” design?¶
Our intention is to have everything freed down to the schematic level, but have not cleared all design, patents, legal, and contractual details. We will continue to advance toward this goal as it aligns with our long-term beliefs.
Will the phone have a fingerprint reader, or other biometric access?¶
No, we will not be shipping with any biometric hardware. Single access via biometrics does not prevent access to your phone the same way a security code or lock does. The US Supreme Court has alluded to biometric access not protecting you the same way that a security code from memory (a security code) does. You can say “no” to a passphrase, or security code, but you cannot say “no” to biometric (physical) information). If future models of the Librem phone do include biometric hardware, we will be double-locking it with a security code to have the best possible security story for users.
To learn more about why biometric access is not good you can read NYT: Fingerprint security.
Will the Librem phone have dual SIM capability?¶
We are investigating implementation in a future model of the Librem phones.
Will the Librem phone have NFC technology?¶
The first model of the phone (v1)—no. We wanted to have a metal case and that is already a challenge with the three other antenna systems that we have to support: Cellular, WiFi/BT and GNSS. NFC Antennas, likewise wireless charging, are pretty large. Last but not least, they add another radio emitter which can cause additional EMC interference. This was left to be solved in the future models.
Will the phone support hotspot tethering?¶
The hardware will support this, the software to do so may require developer community effort or take some additional time to include.
We are providing the hardware to do this and will increment the software as we progress.
Will the phone support 5G networks?¶
Only 4G modems are available at this time. Librem phones use a m.2 slot for the baseband module, so there is potential for “upgrade” (with additional antennae upgrade).
What is an OpenPGP card?¶
An OpenPGP card is a “smart card” that is integrated with many OpenPGP functions.
This card contains your GPG cryptographic keys, where they cannot be extracted (meaning no one can steal them), yet you can use them to sign/encrypt emails, text files, etc.
Our Librem Key contains an integrated and open PGP smart card.
Ordering¶
What does “pre-order” mean?¶
Pre-ordering means you are funding research and development of a product which is not available/manufactured yet. By pre-ordering a product, you accept the following:
This carries a certain risk that shipping will be delayed. We provide best effort estimates but there are a lot of external factors, unpredicted situations (like COVID-19 for example) that we cannot predict.
This carries a possibility that specs will be changed by the time product enters productions phase.
You cannot withdraw funds once you invest/pre-order. Review our Policies.
Can I get a refund on my order?¶
No, not a cash refund. Please read and understand the Hardware Warranty and Return Policy sections of our Policies and contact support if you have questions.
Can I get a refund on my Librem 5 campaign order?¶
There was some confusion related to our Librem 5 refund policy; this FAQ should help clarify.
Purism had an overwhelmingly successful crowdfunding campaign raising well over the $1.5M goal within days after launching. Like most campaigns, we continued to offer the opportunity to invest in the Librem 5, PureOS, and the creation of an alternative to Android/iOS from our website all while releasing our dev kit, early versions of the phone, and through the five iterations toward mass production. The purpose of the campaign and all pre-mass-production funds was to invest in free software for the benefit of the general public aligned with Purism’s Social Purpose, and we did that. The phone was a possible (but not a guaranteed) reward for participation in the campaign before holding stock.
A small amount of early supporters assumed our previously published regular in-stock product refund policy applies to them. While we disagree with this position because the entire intent of early backing is to fund the research and development with the goal of product delivery, we do understand the source of the confusion and in a few instances agreed to honor a the refund requests which were approved by us in the past. Any refunds hurt the forward momentum of the project. Since then, we changed our refund policy for the Librem 5 project and our general product refund policy and do not accept any new refund requests. Refunds are not applicable to crowdfunding campaigns nor pre-orders related to them and therefore we view them as a rare exception. All the money raised during those campaigns was invested into component hardware to manufacture the phones and into free software development and the Linux ecosystem that we have developed and released, which is currently available for all and is widely used by the Linux community.
We cannot withdraw money from the fully released software that has been published. This means that any Librem 5 refund requests that we have previously approved, will be funded by our other business in the future.
As we currently have all liquid funds allocated to physical assets and to hardware we are unable to process any remaining previously approved refund requests at this time. However, we do offer two alternative options to those early supporters who requested refunds that we made the exception to approve:
The Librem 5 phone, running PureOS (with all the latest investments and enhancements) which they have backed and we are now delivering.
A store credit equal to the amount of their investment + 20% courtesy increase which allows an exchange for any other product at shop.puri.sm.
We have your phone, and we will ship all the phones to those who have confirmed their mailing address, with the store credit available to the rest.
We would like to apologize for any inconsistent messaging or any confusion around our refund practices.
Crowdfunding innovations are an immense challenge and Purism has consistently delivered on revolutionary inventions, and we appreciate everyone who supports us. We will keep delivering products which are available to all and we firmly stand behind our values. We exist to fulfill our mission to create hardware, software, and services that respect people’s privacy, security, and freedom. We sincerely thank everyone who shares this journey with us.
Can I purchase a Librem 13 or Librem 15 laptop?¶
Librem 13 and Librem 15 laptops are sold out and discontinued.
A successor to our Librem 13 line is the Librem 14. (See the Librem 14 product page.)
At the moment we are pointing potential Librem 15 customers to the Librem 14 as well, as we feel it hits a sweet spot between the Librem 13 and Librem 15. However, we are also keeping track of customer demand for a larger alternative to the Librem 14 so if there are features the Librem 14 is missing for you, please contact us so we can factor it in as we consider future upgrades and future products.
What is the Librem Vault USB drive?¶
The Librem Vault is a plain USB flash drive, gold colored, with a “Librem Vault” label, that is used to store your Librem Key’s public GPG key (a text file with .asc extension).
The Librem Vault drive is required for certain operations with PureBoot, such as an OEM factory reset of the PureBoot.
Technical & Advanced¶
Does Purism offer a bug bounty program for reporting bugs/vulnerabilities?¶
We are always happy to receive bug reports from the community in our effort to make our products as private and secure as possible for our customers. We would greatly value a partnership for ongoing and impactful contributions. We only offer non-monetary compensation at this time, but are amenable to options for partnership. Depending on the nature and potential scope of the vulnerability report, we may possibly offer complimentary hardware, services, equity, etc. Of course, it is difficult to quantize without first having a general understanding of the vulnerabilities in question, but it may be worth a discussion.
A bug bounty program is a great idea, however, and we will consider offering one in the future.
Are current Librem products vulnerable to Meltdown or Spectre?¶
No, these vulnerabilities are patched in our coreboot/PureBoot firmware. We actively apply patches there as future Intel vulnerabilities are discovered. Librem laptops, Librem Server, and Librem Mini are protected at the firmware level, no matter which OS you are using. Just make sure you are always on latest coreboot/PureBoot version.
Are current Librem products vulnerable to Intel CSME?¶
No, Librem laptops, Librem server and Librem Mini are not vulnerable. (See Librem hardware and the Intel CSME vulnerability.)
Do Librem devices use non-ECC RAM or ECC RAM?¶
Non-ECC. ECC RAM requires motherboard modifications in addition to selecting a CPU that supports ECC, such as the Intel Xeon family of processors.
What is TPM and do I need it?¶
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a security chip on a Librem laptop motherboard which provides some interesting security features. To best understand what it can do please read the following news articles from our blog, sorted by date:
TPM is required for the PureBoot secure boot feature. All current models of Librem laptops are equipped with the TPM chip and are capable of utilizing PureBoot.
Who is in control of the master key stored in the TPM chip?¶
The user completely controls any keys that are stored in the TPM on our hardware. Traditional understanding that manufacturer is in control of the master key stored in TPM is not true for our hardware. We don’t use it that way.
What is coreboot and why is it important?¶
coreboot is a free software (and open-source) replacement for proprietary BIOS. Librem laptops come with coreboot pre-installed.
What is the difference between Libreboot and my Librem’s coreboot firmware?¶
Libreboot is a downstream distribution (or fork) of coreboot which does not allow non-free binaries (“blobs”), and only supports a small number of devices, the vast majority of which are over 10 years old. Libreboot also does not remain synchronized with coreboot; its most recent release is from mid-2016, whereas coreboot is updated regularly.
Our coreboot firmware still has some blobs, as all modern Intel-based systems require them, but our our goal is to ship devices with blob-free coreboot (see Freedom roadmap. Since our devices are already working with completely free software, blob-free coreboot firmware would allow us to achieve FSF RYF certification for Librem laptops.
Our coreboot currently contains the following blobs:
DONE: video initialization blob (VBIOS)
memory/silicon initialization blob (FSP) — there are some rumors Intel might release source code for this, so our work on this is currently on hold.
CPU microcode updates — microcode updates are uploaded to the CPU at boot time, which patch the built-in microcode and disables buggy parts of the CPU to improve reliability. In the past, these updates were handled by the operating system kernel, but on all recent Intel systems the system firmware is required to perform this task (though it can still be updated by the kernel after the fact).
Intel Management Engine (ME) firmware — we disable and effectively neutralize this blob by removing most of its code and setting flags to disable the ME coprocessor at boot time.
Can I buy a Librem laptop with a proprietary BIOS/UEFI?¶
No. We ship all devices with the free software firmware coreboot. We do not ship any devices with proprietary BIOS/UEFI.
How much is your coreboot fork different from the mainline code?¶
Most of our changes have been upstreamed and merged. There is very little difference and it’s only the most recent patches that we haven’t yet pushed.
What is Intel Management Engine and what are concerns with it regarding Librem laptops?¶
The Intel Management Engine (ME) is a separate independent processor core that is actually embedded inside the Multichip Package (MCP) on Intel CPUs. It operates all-by-itself and separate from the main processor, the BIOS, and the Operating system (OS), but it does interact with the BIOS and OS kernel. It is a black box of mystery code at the lowest level, in ring -2, with complete control over every part of the system, and therefore presents a serious threat to your security and privacy, as it could be possibly exploited by a remote attacker to gain full access to your system. It is present on every post-2008 Intel CPU system.
Purism actively avoids this technology (see Avoiding Intel AMT) and even both disables and neutralizes it on a firmware level (see Intel ME), thus minimizing or removing the threat entirely.
Does Qubes OS run on Librem hardware?¶
If you would like to try Qubes OS, you may purchase the installer on a USB flash drive. This option is an installer only, not a LiveUSB, and is only recommended for advanced users with strong technical knowledge. Most users should stick with our default operating system, PureOS.
We also now offer Qubes OS pre-installed on our Librem devices. It will not run on Librem smartphones. Qubes OS requires virtualization on the CPU and there is no port for ARM architectures.
While we support Qubes on our hardware, please direct all general-purpose support questions pertaining to Qubes OS.
Can I have your motherboard schematics?¶
We cannot share the schematics nor design currently because it is copyright encumbered from Intel reference designs. We are working to release future motherboard design files in the future that do not infringe on Intel’s intellectual property restrictions.
Are you looking to offer a AMD-Radeon/Ryzen-Vega or nVidia GPU option for laptops in the near future?¶
No, this hardware requires proprietary firmware to even function, therefore not aligned with our philosophy. However, we are monitoring the development and will consider them if something changes in the future.
What are your plans for tamper-proofing the Librem 5?¶
We hope to have a version of PureBoot available for the Librem 5 for users who want to verify it with a Librem Key. We cannot commit to it being available at launch but it is a goal.
What is the difference between various storage options you offer?¶
Librem laptops support two types of storage form factor: standard 2.5” size and newer m.2.
Standard 2.5” supports the SATA interface; disks are mostly cheap and available in larger capacities. For Librem laptops, they require an aluminum frame to hold them in place. The maximum disk height that will fit in Librem devices is 10mm.
m.2 supports SATA and PCIe interfaces. Both SATA and PCIe M.2 are very similar from the outside: they are smaller, compact and easier to install, compared to 2.5” disks. To install one in a Librem laptop, you only need a single screw. Librem laptops support B+M and M keyed 2280 sized disks (the sockets themselves are M keyed).
What is the difference between SATA and PCIe M.2 disks?¶
SATA M.2 disks do not offer speed improvements over 2.5” SATA SSD disks.
PCIe M.2 disks using NVMe interface offer quite the speed improvement compared to SATA m.2 or standard 2.5” disks.
For m.2, Purism offers¶
SATA disks (sequential read/write speeds: up to 550/520 MB/s)
NVMe disks (sequential read/write speeds: max 3,200/1,900 MB/s)
NVMe PRO disks (sequential read/write speeds: max 3,500/3,300 MB/s)
What is the difference between various USB flash drive options you offer?¶
You have the option to select a USB flash drive to your order when ordering a Librem laptop or Mini. They are 16 GB (5 Gbit/s max speed) and offer 3-in-1 USB port support: USB-C, USB-A and mini-USB. You can also order a USB flash drive separately.
However we do not ship them empty; they come with a bootable system, meaning you can boot a system from them. You can select from following options:
PureOS OEM → OEM installer: it will boot into a working system where you can run an installer and pre-configure your computer for PureOS. After you boot into the installed system for the first time, you should follow the PureOS installation guide.
PureOS live → a “live” system: it will boot into a working system. You can use it just like a usual PureOS system, but it runs entirely from the USB flash drive and does not write to your internal hard disks. From the “live” session you can start system installer if you like and install (or re-install) PureOS to your internal hard disk drives. (See PureOS live system installation)
Qubes OS → Qubes OS installer: it will start Qubes OS system install procedure so that you can install Qubes OS on your computer. Qubes OS is not developed by Purism, so refer to Qubes OS documentation if you need help with this operating system.
Note
In any case you can simply format the USB flash drive and use it as a portable USB storage device (Purism branded).
What are encryption details for your hardware/software?¶
Software encryption¶
Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) software disk encryption with standard setup uses cipher: aes-xts-plain64; size: 256.
Librem 14, Librem Mini and Librem servers come with PureOS with OEM setup, which pre-encrypts the disk but allows customer to set up their own disk encryption password. The boot partition is not encrypted but it can be verified with a Librem Key (see PureBoot).
Librem 5 also comes with internal encryption.
More about LUKS¶
Communication¶
Librem Chat uses the Matrix protocol. For FAQ, specification and reference implementation details, check out the Matrix website.
Librem Tunnel utilizes OpenVPN.
Why are there no hardware killswitches for speakers?¶
There is a concern that a malicious hacker, if they gain access to your device, could re-purpose speakers to act as a crude microphone, thus circumvent microphone hardware killswitches found on Librem Laptops and Librem Phone.
This is not a concern with Librem devices.
In Librem laptops, the speakers are connected to an amplifier since the codec itself can not drive a speaker. The amp will not work backwards as an input amplifier.
In Librem phones, the codec in the phone uses DACs to drive the speakers and they can not be re-tasked as audio inputs.