Late last week Framework announced that is has made its EC firmware open source for all to have a look and contribute to! This is an exciting move making the Framework Laptop an even more enticing option for those that aren’t a fan of a closed operating system and firmware.
On top of this Framework has also said it is working to replace the proprietary firmware it is currently using, sharing that it is ‘stuck’ with it for now.
At Framework, the community is at the core of how we build products. At most consumer electronics companies, community members are a source of revenue or at best a channel for evangelism. We expect more than that. We want to empower you to participate directly in the creation of Framework product ecosystems. Modular products only get more capable and interesting as the communities around them grow, enabling a broader range of audiences and use cases. We’re seeing the early results of that already with the Expansion Card Developer Program and some of the amazing designs in development and prototyping, like magnetic charging cards and LTE radios.
The Framework Laptop’s embedded controller (EC) firmware is based on Google’s Chromium-EC project which is what Chromebook’s use. Framework has released its EC firmware under the same BSD 3 clause which allows for modification and resharing as you like.
For those that aren’t aware what EC firmware does, it controls low level features of the laptop in the form of power sequencing, keyboard, and touchpad interfacing, and controlling system LEDs.
It’s important to note that modifying the EC firmware can result in damaging or bricking your Framework Laptop. It is advised to modify the firmware at your own risk and if you are willing to take the risk.
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Source: Framework
