# GNU Boot > boot software distribution **Wikidata**: [Q123688258](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123688258) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gnu-boot ## Summary GNU Boot is a boot software distribution that is part of the GNU Project, providing free software firmware for low-level hardware control. It is classified as free software, allowing users to run, study, change, and distribute it and its modified versions, and functions as a bootloader, GNU package, and fork. The project offers release candidates like 0.1-rc6, the preferred latest version released on 2025-03-24. ## Key Facts - Instance of: bootloader, firmware, GNU package, free software, fork - Part of: GNU Project (free software project, inception 1983-09-27, software industry, sitelink_count 39) - Related classes: free software (sitelink_count 120), firmware (sitelink_count 65) - Logo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Gnuboot_logo_light.svg - Aliases: gnuboot - Website: https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuboot/ (English) - GNU Savannah project ID: gnuboot - License references: , stated 2024-01-24, applies to GNU Boot - Copyright status: copyrighted - Operating system references: , stated 2024-01-24, applies to GNU Boot - Maintained by: Adrien Bourmault (references forge.a-lec.org/neox, stated 2024-12-03), Denis Carikli - Versions: - 0.1-rc1 (qualifiers: ThinkPad R400 , ThinkPad T500 ; reference: https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuboot/web/status.html) - 0.1-rc2 (release candidate, 2023-12-00, download https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc2/; announced by Adrien Bourmault English "GNU Boot December 2023 News" 2023-12-31, stated 2024-12-03) - 0.1-rc3 (release candidate, 2023-12-31, download https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc3/; announced by Adrien Bourmault English "GNU Boot December 2023 News" 2023-12-31, stated 2024-12-03) - 0.1-rc4 (release candidate, 2024-11-00, download https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc4/; announced by Denis Carikli English "GNU Boot November 2024 News" 2024-11-23, stated 2024-12-03) - 0.1-rc5 (release candidate, 2025-01-00, download https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc5/; stated 2025-03-06 via https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuboot/) - 0.1-rc6 (preferred, release candidate, 2025-03-24, download https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc6/; announced by Denis Carikli English "New GNU Boot 0.1 RC6 release." 2025-03-24, stated 2025-04-03) - Source code repositories: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuboot.git (preferred, Git , cgit), https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gnuboot.git (Git , Gitweb) - Issue tracker: https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=gnuboot - IRC channel: irc://irc.libera.chat/gnuboot - Mailing list archives: - https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnuboot/ (software bug, reference https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuboot stated 2024-01-24) - https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot/ (reference https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot stated 2024-01-24) - https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/ (announcement, reference https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot-announce stated 2024-01-24) - https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-patches/ (programmer, reference https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot-patches stated 2024-01-24) - Free software directory entry: GNU Boot - Wikidata description: boot software distribution ## FAQs **What is GNU Boot's relationship to the GNU Project?** GNU Boot is part of the GNU Project, a free software initiative started on 1983-09-27 in the software industry with 39 sitelinks. It aligns as a GNU package within this ecosystem. **Who maintains GNU Boot and how can I report issues?** Adrien Bourmault and Denis Carikli maintain it, with Bourmault linked to forge.a-lec.org/neox as of 2024-12-03. Issues go to the tracker at https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=gnuboot. **What versions of GNU Boot are available?** Release candidates include 0.1-rc1 for ThinkPad R400 and T500, rc2 from December 2023, rc3 from 2023-12-31, rc4 from November 2024, rc5 from January 2025, and preferred rc6 from 2025-03-24, all with FTP mirrors. **Where can I find GNU Boot's source code and discussions?** Source at https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuboot.git (preferred) or gitweb, IRC at irc://irc.libera.chat/gnuboot, and mailing lists like bug-gnuboot, gnuboot, gnuboot-announce, gnuboot-patches via lists.gnu.org archives. **What license and status apply to GNU Boot?** It references for license and operating system as of 2024-01-24, holds copyrighted status, and appears in the free software directory as GNU Boot. ## Why It Matters GNU Boot addresses the need for fully free boot firmware in computing, enabling users to control device hardware without proprietary restrictions through its free software principles. As a GNU Project component, it extends the 1983 initiative's mission to create a complete free operating system, focusing on the critical boot stage often locked by non-free blobs. This fork and bootloader distribution empowers hardware liberation on specific platforms like ThinkPads, fosters community contributions via Savannah and mailing lists, and tracks progress through detailed release candidates up to 0.1-rc6 in 2025, ensuring verifiable freedom from low-level. ## Notable For - Preferred latest release 0.1-rc6 on 2025-03-24, announced by Denis Carikli as "New GNU Boot 0.1 RC6 release." - Early support for ThinkPad R400 and T500 in 0.1-rc1. - Multiple rapid release candidates: rc2/rc3 in December 2023 by Adrien Bourmault, rc4 November 2024, rc5 January 2025, rc6 March 2025. - Dedicated GNU Savannah project with cgit/gitweb repos, bug tracker, and four specialized mailing lists. - Explicit free software firmware focus, distinguishing from typical proprietary bootloaders. ## Body ### Classifications and Core Identity GNU Boot operates as a boot software distribution. It instances as bootloader, firmware, GNU package, free software, and fork. Firmware provides low-level control for device hardware, while free software permits running, studying, changing, and distributing it plus modifications (free software sitelinks: 120; firmware sitelinks: 65). Its Wikidata description confirms "boot software distribution." ### Parent Project and Structure Forms part of GNU Project, a free software project with inception 1983-09-27 (reference: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/net.unix-wizards/8twfRPM79u0/1xlglzrWrU0J), in software industry (, https://ru.wikipedia.org/?oldid=92006007), sitelinks 39. Holds GNU Savannah project ID gnuboot. Free software directory lists it as GNU Boot. ### Visual and Naming Features logo at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Gnuboot_logo_light.svg. Aliases include gnuboot. ### Licensing and Status License references (, GNU Boot, stated 2024-01-24). Operating system ties to (stated 2024-01-24). Copyrighted status applies. ### Official Access Points Website: https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuboot/ in English. Source code at preferred https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuboot.git (Git , cgit) or https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gnuboot.git (Git , Gitweb). ### Development and Maintenance Maintained by Adrien Bourmault (https://forge.a-lec.org/neox, stated 2024-12-03) and Denis Carikli. Issue tracker: https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=gnuboot. IRC: irc://irc.libera.chat/gnuboot. ### Release History - 0.1-rc1: Supports ThinkPad R400, ThinkPad T500; https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuboot/web/status.html. - 0.1-rc2: Release candidate, 2023-12-00, https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc2/; Adrien Bourmault English announcement "GNU Boot December 2023 News" 2023-12-31 (https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/2023-12/msg00000.html, stated 2024-12-03). - 0.1-rc3: Release candidate, 2023-12-31, https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc3/; same announcement. - 0.1-rc4: Release candidate, 2024-11-00, https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc4/; Denis Carikli English "GNU Boot November 2024 News" 2024-11-23 (https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/2024-11/msg00000.html, stated 2024-12-03). - 0.1-rc5: Release candidate, 2025-01-00, https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc5/; https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuboot/ (stated 2025-03-06). - 0.1-rc6: Preferred release candidate, 2025-03-24, https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc6/; Denis Carikli English "New GNU Boot 0.1 RC6 release." (https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/2025-03/msg00000.html, stated 2025-04-03). ### Community and Communication Mailing list archives: - Bug reports: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnuboot/ (software bug, https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuboot, 2024-01-24). - General: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot/ (https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot, 2024-01-24). - Announcements: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/ (announcement, https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot-announce, 2024-01-24). - Patches: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-patches/ (programmer, https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot-patches, 2024-01-24). ## References 1. [Source](https://forge.a-lec.org/neox) 2. Free Software Directory 3. [Source](https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuboot/web/status.html) 4. [GNU Boot December 2023 News. 2023](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/2023-12/msg00000.html) 5. [GNU Boot November 2024 News. 2024](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/2024-11/msg00000.html) 6. [Source](https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuboot/) 7. [New GNU Boot 0.1 RC6 release.. 2025](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnuboot-announce/2025-03/msg00000.html) 8. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuboot) 9. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot) 10. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot-announce) 11. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuboot-patches)