Librem 15: A Free/Libre Software Laptop That Respects Your Essential Freedoms

$244,956 

The first high-end laptop that respects your freedom and privacy.

The Purism Librem 15 is the first high-end laptop in the world that ships without mystery software in the kernel, operating system, or any software applications. Every other consumer-grade laptop you can purchase comes with an operating system that includes suspect, proprietary software, and there’s no way for you to know what that software does.

The reality is that unless every aspect of your kernel, operating system, and software applications are free/libre and open source, there is no way to know that your computer is truly working in your best interest. Purism is the first to solve this problem.

PHILOSOPHY

• Purism will only use free/libre software for the kernel, OS, and all software.
• Purism will design and manufacture hardware that only uses free/libre software for the kernel, OS, and all software.
• Purism will prioritize free/libre software for our users.
• Purism will not discriminate against persons nor groups nor fields of endeavor.
• Purism will source and manufacture the highest quality hardware.

Hardware Companies, Freedom, and Privacy

Description	Apple	Dell	Google	Microsoft	Purism
Kernel Freed	No	No	No	No	Yes
OS Freed	No	No	No	No	Yes
Software Freed	No	No	No	No	Yes
Promotes Freedom	No	No	Partial*	No	Yes
Promotes Privacy**	No	No	No	No	Yes
Supports Freedom	No	No	Partial*	No	Yes

* Source code is released under free/libre licenses, but other freedom and privacy restricting features exist.
** Promotes privacy by providing source code under a free/libre license, and installing privacy supporting software by default.

What Makes the Librem Better?

There are many laptops that run Linux. The Librem 15 laptop is better in two main ways:

1. The hardware used in the Librem 15 laptop was specifically selected so that no binary blobs are needed in the Linux kernel that ships with the laptop. All other Linux pre-installed devices include binary blobs in the Linux kernel.
2. The Librem 15 is the first concrete step toward changing computer manufacturing in a fundamental way. We believe in users’ rights, and will continue to push upstream to free the BIOS and component firmware.

How Can We Make This Change, When Other Companies Have Not?

All other companies, when they sit down at the negotiation table, negotiate first for price, mean time between failure, quality, warranty, availability, then revisit price again. We on the other hand negotiate for users’ rights to free software, then quality, then price. Most manufacturers just need to be made aware that it matters to users, and then we get into how best to make that happen. This is where you come in, by showing you support Purism, that gives us the leverage we need to push upstream to the manufacturers of component parts. We are here to fight for your rights - please help us do that by supporting this campaign!

HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS

The Librem 15 is the first high-end laptop where you are in control and have complete visibility into the kernel, the operating system, and all software. Meticulously designed chip by chip to work with free/libre and open source software, the Librem reinstates your rights to freedom and privacy. We hand selected the best hardware that still honors our strict beliefs:

• 15.6" display in either 1920x1080 or 3840x2160
• 4 Core (8 Threads) 3.4GHz Intel i7-4770HQ
• Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200
• 375 x 244 x 22mm 2.0Kg
• 14 x 9.6 x 0.86" 4.4lbs
• 4GB Mem (up to 32GB)
• 500GB HD (up to 1TB HD or 1TB SSD)
• CD/DVD ROM Drive (or extra drive bay)
• 48 Wh lithium polymer battery
• 65W power adapter
• Up to 8 hours usage
• Three USB 3.0 ports
• One HDMI port
• One Pop-Down RJ45 Network port (r8169)
• 802.11n WiFi (ath9k)
• 720p camera
• HD Audio
• Mini-TOSLINK optical fiber connector
• Full-size keyboard in a variety of languages
• Aluminum enclosure body
• SDXC card slot
• Purism GNU/Linux 64-bit Operating System (Trisquel based)
• 375mm x 244mm x 22mm (14" x 9.6" x 0.86")
• 2.0kg (4.4lbs)

Manufacturing Versus Sourcing

Purism is manufacturing the motherboard, and screen printing the keyboard. Purism is sourcing the case, daughter cards, memory, drives, battery, camera, and screen.

Proposals for Motherboard Design Changes

While we have our prototypes, they are prototypes for the sole purpose of testing and modifying, so please send any comments, concerns, or requests through our campaign question form near the bottom of this page. We have already made modifications based on user feedback, so it is all welcome!

Replacement and Upgrade Parts

Once we are actually shipping product in April, we will also offer replacement and upgrade parts for sale.

Upgradable

As shown in the video above, the HDD/SSD, RAM, wireless chipset, and CD/DVD ROM are all accessible after unscrewing the bottom of the case and unscrewing the battery. All these components are easily replaceable.

Keyboard

The Librem 15 keyboard comes in a wide variety of language layouts. See the “keyboard” drop-down menu in any of the pledge levels to the right for a full listing of the available languages.

Power Adapter

The Librem 15 laptop comes with the power adapter pictured below. As input, the power adapter takes up to 1.6A at 100-240V and 50-60Hz. As output, the power adapter provides up to 3.4A at 19V. By default, the power adapter comes with a US-style electrical plug, but that piece can easily be swapped out by the end user.

Future Models

If this campaign to create the Librem 15 laptop is successful, our second product will be the Librem 13, a 13” model very similar to the Librem 15, but without the optical drive, and of course smaller. We already have a first prototype of the Librem 13, but our focus for now is on first succeeding with the Librem 15. For those of you who want a 13” laptop, but still want to support us in getting off the ground, please back this campaign by making a pledge for the $500 Librem Coupon.

Warranty

Every Librem 15 laptop comes with a company-backed, two-year parts and labor warranty. We currently have one warranty facility in South San Francisco, however we are also considering and pursuing distribution and warranty repair within certain other countries.

SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS

Bundled with a fully free/libre, no mystery software, GNU/Linux based operating system, with free/libre professional quality web browser, email, graphics, drawing, word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, and media software, users can easily replace their existing computer. Since it is a GNU based distribution, users can add hundreds of thousands of free/libre and open source applications easily.

Painstakingly selecting every single component that goes into the Librem 15 laptop, Purism ensures they all will operate with free/libre and open source software within the kernel, the operating system, and all software applications.

WHAT ABOUT THE BIOS AND FIRMWARE?

Though the bootloader, Linux kernel, GNU OS, and all software applications are completely free/libre software without any binary blobs, the BIOS does use coreboot, which includes a binary from Intel, called FSP. Here is a diagram that summarizes which components are free/libre and which aren’t.

While the BIOS is not yet free, the Librem 15 will be the first laptop ever manufactured to ship a modern Intel CPU fused to run unsigned BIOS code, allowing for a future where free software can replace the proprietary, digitally signed BIOS binaries. This marks one of the largest hurdles to a laptop that runs 100% free software and firmware. Recognizing the importance of this critical step toward consumer freedom, Dr. Richard M. Stallman, president of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), states:

“Getting rid of the signature checking is an important step. While it doesn’t give us free code for the firmware, it means that users will really have control of the firmware once we get free code for it.” - Dr. Richard M. Stallman

In addition to enabling as above the development of free BIOS firmware, we are also working with Intel to allow us to scrub, release, and maintain the source for the FSP, but haven’t finalized that yet. We are devoted to freeing this binary. You can read here about the current state of our efforts to free the BIOS.

There are also hardware components, like the HD or SSD, that are flashable, and therefore upgradeable, but that currently run firmware that is not yet freed. We are working to get freed versions of this firmware! Being the first manufacturer to care about freedom and privacy, we are making a lot of progress upstream.

MANUFACTURING PLAN

Purism has the final prototypes, and with your help can begin production at full scale in our South San Francisco facility. The first batch will consist of 500 laptops.

When Will I Get My Laptop?

April 2015. This is because we have to finalize our motherboard design, manufacture a small run, then order the components, assemble, load the software and ship to you. The manufacturing of the motherboard alone is an 8- to 12-week turn around.

Shipping Costs

All laptops include free US domestic shipping. We also ship outside the US anywhere in the world for a flat $80 international shipping surcharge. Any applicable customs and duties are not included in the price and are the responsibility of the recipient.

ABOUT THIS CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

This is an all-or-nothing scenario - either we make our funding goal and move forward or we miss our funding goal, no credit cards are charged, and the project halts.

Pricing

There are three tiers of pricing available as a special offer only during this crowdfunding campaign - earliest bird, earlier bird, and early bird. The tiers are designed to offer a greater discount to the earliest adopters (earliest bird) so the price and quantity available is the only difference between the tiers: once the tier is filled, the next tier of pricing and quantity is used. These pricing tiers offer a significant discount over the planned retail pricing, which is also available as part of the campaign in case the early tiers fill up completely.

$500 Librem Coupon

The Librem Coupon is a $500 coupon for any Librem laptop produced after this campaign ends in the next two years and only costs $450 if ordered as part of this crowdfunding campaign. The idea with the coupon is to allow backers to support Purism now, even though they are waiting for a 13” model of the laptop. The plan is to run the Librem 13 crowdfunding campaign early this summer after the Librem 15 has shipped, though backers could also put the coupon toward a Librem 15 laptop after this campaign ends.

Plans After Successfully Funding

We have very big plans, we believe in free software and our goal is to make free software the default for users. We want average computer users to consider the Librem 15 an easy alternative to proprietary systems that do not respect their freedoms. After the Librem 15, we want to produce a Librem 13 (a 13” model), then longer term move into tablets, and phones, where there are no viable free software alternatives for users.

Sales After the Crowdfunding Campaign Succeeds

Once we have placed our Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) order, which is what our funding goal is, we will be offering the Librem 15 for sale, with a standard turnaround to users of about 1 to 2 weeks.

What Happens If the Funding Goal is Not Met?

It will show that there is not enough user support to want a company to fight for free software bundled with hardware right now, therefore, we would not be able to manufacture our motherboard, and therefore will not receive any funds from any backers. Let’s not make that happen, help us reach our goal, so we can do great things with hardware.

Alternative Payment

We understand that credit cards aren’t for everyone. If you cannot or do not want to pay by credit card, contact support@crowdsupply.com to make arrangements for alternative forms of payment.

ABOUT PURISM

Purism is devoted, at its heart and soul, to providing the highest quality hardware available, that utilizes free/libre software, ensuring the rights of freedom, privacy, and control of your computing. Purism was founded by Todd Weaver, a free/libre software advocate since 1994, formerly the CTO of Impart Media Group, and CEO of ivi, Inc. Todd has more than 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, using, installing, and promoting free/libre and open source software.

Source: crowdsupply.com