How to make sure I'm not using any proprietary software after instalation?











up vote
45
down vote

favorite
9












I know I can check the currently installed ones with the following command (assuming aptitude is FOSS):



aptitude search '?installed (?section(restricted) | ?section(multiverse))'


And I can remove the "restricted" and "multiverse" sources (and not add any PPA's) to keep that list empty. I'm assuming from this point, whenever I apt install something, that something is either in the allowed sources or it is not found.



Is this enough? Does this make sure all software I'm running (in Ubuntu) is open-source?










share|improve this question









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Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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  • 2




    Related: How can I remove Proprietary Sources
    – wjandrea
    2 days ago










  • Possible duplicate of Why is there proprietary software in Ubuntu Software Center?
    – N0rbert
    2 days ago






  • 3




    Possible duplicate of What is the "Free software only" option when installing Ubuntu?
    – popey
    2 days ago






  • 1




    Possible duplicate of How to list all installed packages from a specific category (comptonent)
    – muru
    2 days ago















up vote
45
down vote

favorite
9












I know I can check the currently installed ones with the following command (assuming aptitude is FOSS):



aptitude search '?installed (?section(restricted) | ?section(multiverse))'


And I can remove the "restricted" and "multiverse" sources (and not add any PPA's) to keep that list empty. I'm assuming from this point, whenever I apt install something, that something is either in the allowed sources or it is not found.



Is this enough? Does this make sure all software I'm running (in Ubuntu) is open-source?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2




    Related: How can I remove Proprietary Sources
    – wjandrea
    2 days ago










  • Possible duplicate of Why is there proprietary software in Ubuntu Software Center?
    – N0rbert
    2 days ago






  • 3




    Possible duplicate of What is the "Free software only" option when installing Ubuntu?
    – popey
    2 days ago






  • 1




    Possible duplicate of How to list all installed packages from a specific category (comptonent)
    – muru
    2 days ago













up vote
45
down vote

favorite
9









up vote
45
down vote

favorite
9






9





I know I can check the currently installed ones with the following command (assuming aptitude is FOSS):



aptitude search '?installed (?section(restricted) | ?section(multiverse))'


And I can remove the "restricted" and "multiverse" sources (and not add any PPA's) to keep that list empty. I'm assuming from this point, whenever I apt install something, that something is either in the allowed sources or it is not found.



Is this enough? Does this make sure all software I'm running (in Ubuntu) is open-source?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I know I can check the currently installed ones with the following command (assuming aptitude is FOSS):



aptitude search '?installed (?section(restricted) | ?section(multiverse))'


And I can remove the "restricted" and "multiverse" sources (and not add any PPA's) to keep that list empty. I'm assuming from this point, whenever I apt install something, that something is either in the allowed sources or it is not found.



Is this enough? Does this make sure all software I'm running (in Ubuntu) is open-source?







apt software-installation proprietary open-source






share|improve this question









New contributor




Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited yesterday









Tim

19.4k1483138




19.4k1483138






New contributor




Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked 2 days ago









Public Void

33125




33125




New contributor




Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Public Void is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 2




    Related: How can I remove Proprietary Sources
    – wjandrea
    2 days ago










  • Possible duplicate of Why is there proprietary software in Ubuntu Software Center?
    – N0rbert
    2 days ago






  • 3




    Possible duplicate of What is the "Free software only" option when installing Ubuntu?
    – popey
    2 days ago






  • 1




    Possible duplicate of How to list all installed packages from a specific category (comptonent)
    – muru
    2 days ago














  • 2




    Related: How can I remove Proprietary Sources
    – wjandrea
    2 days ago










  • Possible duplicate of Why is there proprietary software in Ubuntu Software Center?
    – N0rbert
    2 days ago






  • 3




    Possible duplicate of What is the "Free software only" option when installing Ubuntu?
    – popey
    2 days ago






  • 1




    Possible duplicate of How to list all installed packages from a specific category (comptonent)
    – muru
    2 days ago








2




2




Related: How can I remove Proprietary Sources
– wjandrea
2 days ago




Related: How can I remove Proprietary Sources
– wjandrea
2 days ago












Possible duplicate of Why is there proprietary software in Ubuntu Software Center?
– N0rbert
2 days ago




Possible duplicate of Why is there proprietary software in Ubuntu Software Center?
– N0rbert
2 days ago




3




3




Possible duplicate of What is the "Free software only" option when installing Ubuntu?
– popey
2 days ago




Possible duplicate of What is the "Free software only" option when installing Ubuntu?
– popey
2 days ago




1




1




Possible duplicate of How to list all installed packages from a specific category (comptonent)
– muru
2 days ago




Possible duplicate of How to list all installed packages from a specific category (comptonent)
– muru
2 days ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
75
down vote



accepted










vrms (Virtual Richard M. Stallman) to the rescue:



sudo apt install vrms
vrms


and you'll get something like:



      Non-free packages installed on computer-name

app-shortname1 Application long name 1
app-shortname2 Application long name 2
app-shortname3 Application long name 3

Contrib packages installed on computer-name

app-contrib1 Application Contrib Name 1

3 non-free packages, 0.4% of 2381 installed packages.
1 contrib packages, 0.1% of 2381 installed packages.


that will ensure you do / do not have any proprietary software installed.



Note: CPU firmware patches are non-free but absolutely needed to protect you from some processor flaws and their ilks, so don't go overboard! ;-)






share|improve this answer























  • Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
    – Public Void
    2 days ago








  • 9




    Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
    – R..
    2 days ago






  • 2




    @Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
    – Peter Cordes
    yesterday


















up vote
35
down vote













If you're keen on having only Free Software (although you used the term Open Source) on your computer, you may want to consider installing Ubuntu with the "Free Software Only" option. You can find out more over at this question.



Free software only option






share|improve this answer

















  • 6




    Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
    – Fabby
    2 days ago











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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
75
down vote



accepted










vrms (Virtual Richard M. Stallman) to the rescue:



sudo apt install vrms
vrms


and you'll get something like:



      Non-free packages installed on computer-name

app-shortname1 Application long name 1
app-shortname2 Application long name 2
app-shortname3 Application long name 3

Contrib packages installed on computer-name

app-contrib1 Application Contrib Name 1

3 non-free packages, 0.4% of 2381 installed packages.
1 contrib packages, 0.1% of 2381 installed packages.


that will ensure you do / do not have any proprietary software installed.



Note: CPU firmware patches are non-free but absolutely needed to protect you from some processor flaws and their ilks, so don't go overboard! ;-)






share|improve this answer























  • Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
    – Public Void
    2 days ago








  • 9




    Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
    – R..
    2 days ago






  • 2




    @Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
    – Peter Cordes
    yesterday















up vote
75
down vote



accepted










vrms (Virtual Richard M. Stallman) to the rescue:



sudo apt install vrms
vrms


and you'll get something like:



      Non-free packages installed on computer-name

app-shortname1 Application long name 1
app-shortname2 Application long name 2
app-shortname3 Application long name 3

Contrib packages installed on computer-name

app-contrib1 Application Contrib Name 1

3 non-free packages, 0.4% of 2381 installed packages.
1 contrib packages, 0.1% of 2381 installed packages.


that will ensure you do / do not have any proprietary software installed.



Note: CPU firmware patches are non-free but absolutely needed to protect you from some processor flaws and their ilks, so don't go overboard! ;-)






share|improve this answer























  • Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
    – Public Void
    2 days ago








  • 9




    Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
    – R..
    2 days ago






  • 2




    @Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
    – Peter Cordes
    yesterday













up vote
75
down vote



accepted







up vote
75
down vote



accepted






vrms (Virtual Richard M. Stallman) to the rescue:



sudo apt install vrms
vrms


and you'll get something like:



      Non-free packages installed on computer-name

app-shortname1 Application long name 1
app-shortname2 Application long name 2
app-shortname3 Application long name 3

Contrib packages installed on computer-name

app-contrib1 Application Contrib Name 1

3 non-free packages, 0.4% of 2381 installed packages.
1 contrib packages, 0.1% of 2381 installed packages.


that will ensure you do / do not have any proprietary software installed.



Note: CPU firmware patches are non-free but absolutely needed to protect you from some processor flaws and their ilks, so don't go overboard! ;-)






share|improve this answer














vrms (Virtual Richard M. Stallman) to the rescue:



sudo apt install vrms
vrms


and you'll get something like:



      Non-free packages installed on computer-name

app-shortname1 Application long name 1
app-shortname2 Application long name 2
app-shortname3 Application long name 3

Contrib packages installed on computer-name

app-contrib1 Application Contrib Name 1

3 non-free packages, 0.4% of 2381 installed packages.
1 contrib packages, 0.1% of 2381 installed packages.


that will ensure you do / do not have any proprietary software installed.



Note: CPU firmware patches are non-free but absolutely needed to protect you from some processor flaws and their ilks, so don't go overboard! ;-)







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited yesterday

























answered 2 days ago









Fabby

25.5k1359159




25.5k1359159












  • Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
    – Public Void
    2 days ago








  • 9




    Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
    – R..
    2 days ago






  • 2




    @Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
    – Peter Cordes
    yesterday


















  • Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
    – Public Void
    2 days ago








  • 9




    Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








  • 2




    CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
    – R..
    2 days ago






  • 2




    @Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
    – Peter Cordes
    yesterday
















Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
– Public Void
2 days ago






Thanks and (currently non-public) +1 to both answers. -Why- aren't there free alternatives to such firmware patches?
– Public Void
2 days ago






9




9




Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
– Fabby
2 days ago






Intel's Intellectual property: CPUs are still closed source except RISC-V. @PublicVoid and as you're a new user: If one of the answers solved your problem, don't forget to click the grey at the left of its text, which means Yes, this answer is the most useful of all! ;-)
– Fabby
2 days ago






2




2




No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
– Fabby
2 days ago






No, you'd have to buy an entire new computer with another CPU and supporting chipsets: it would not be an Intel system any more. Give it a few more years until someone in Taiwan starts building Risc-V processors for a rock bottom price @PublicVoid
– Fabby
2 days ago






2




2




CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
– R..
2 days ago




CPU firmware patches do not protect you from Spectre. They might protect you from Meltdown, but so can/does PTI which the kernel will enable if the CPU firmware is not patched.
– R..
2 days ago




2




2




@Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
– Peter Cordes
yesterday




@Fabby: Not just future. Skylake has had at least 1 correctness problem before Meltdown/Spectre that required a microcode update to fix. (Disabling the use of the IDQ as a 64-entry loop buffer (LSD = Loop Stream Detector) because of rare corner cases with inserting (or failing to insert) merging uops for partial registers. Erratum SKL150. See hothardware.com/news/…. See also some low-level microbenchmarks / perf-counter results before the fix
– Peter Cordes
yesterday












up vote
35
down vote













If you're keen on having only Free Software (although you used the term Open Source) on your computer, you may want to consider installing Ubuntu with the "Free Software Only" option. You can find out more over at this question.



Free software only option






share|improve this answer

















  • 6




    Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
    – Fabby
    2 days ago















up vote
35
down vote













If you're keen on having only Free Software (although you used the term Open Source) on your computer, you may want to consider installing Ubuntu with the "Free Software Only" option. You can find out more over at this question.



Free software only option






share|improve this answer

















  • 6




    Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
    – Fabby
    2 days ago













up vote
35
down vote










up vote
35
down vote









If you're keen on having only Free Software (although you used the term Open Source) on your computer, you may want to consider installing Ubuntu with the "Free Software Only" option. You can find out more over at this question.



Free software only option






share|improve this answer












If you're keen on having only Free Software (although you used the term Open Source) on your computer, you may want to consider installing Ubuntu with the "Free Software Only" option. You can find out more over at this question.



Free software only option







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 2 days ago









popey

12.6k74689




12.6k74689








  • 6




    Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
    – Fabby
    2 days ago














  • 6




    Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
    – Fabby
    2 days ago








6




6




Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
– Fabby
2 days ago




Good one for everyone that comes here before the fact ;-) +1
– Fabby
2 days ago










Public Void is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










 

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Public Void is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












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