Actualmente existe en el mercado algunos dispositivos de hardware que no funcionan con software libre, requieren firmware no libre que privan de libertad el sistema. Una buena medida para que se liberen los sistemas es no adquirir dichos dispositivos ni los equipos que los contienen. Un análisis exhaustivo de componentes antes de una compra puede tratarse de una tarea tediosa, pero también nos evitará posteriores problemas de compatibilidad. Basado en Linux-Libre 2.6.33, en el wiki de LibrePlanet se ha publicado una lista de dispositivos que no funcionan con el kernel:

MICROCODE_AMD - AMD microcode patch loading support
MICROCODE_INTEL - Intel microcode patch loading support
IXP4XX_NPE - IXP4xx Network Processor Engine support
ARCH_NETX - Hilscher NetX based
ATM_AMBASSADOR - Madge Ambassador, Collage PCI 155 Server
ATM_FORE200E - FORE Systems 200E-series
ATM_SOLOS - Solos ADSL2+ PCI Multiport card driver
COMPUTONE - Computone IntelliPort Plus serial
CYCLADES - Cyclades async mux support
ISI - Multi-Tech multiport card support
MOXA_INTELLIO - Moxa Intellio support
DRM_NOUVEAU - Nouveau (nVidia) cards
DRM_MGA - Matrox g200/g400
DRM_R128 - ATI Rage 128
DRM_RADEON - ATI Radeon
MEDIA_TUNER_XC2028 - XCeive xc2028/xc3028 tuners
MEDIA_TUNER_XC5000 - Xceive XC5000 silicon tuner
DVB_USB - Support for various USB DVB devices
DVB_USB_AF9005 - Afatech AF9005 DVB-T USB1.1
DVB_B2C2_FLEXCOP - Technisat/B2C2 FlexCopII(b) and FlexCopIII adapters
DVB_BT8XX - BT8xx based PCI cards
DVB_USB_A800 - AVerMedia AverTV DVB-T USB 2.0 (A800)
DVB_USB_AF9005 - Afatech AF9005 DVB-T USB1.1 support
DVB_USB_AF9015 - Afatech AF9015 DVB-T USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_CXUSB - Conexant USB2.0 hybrid reference design support
DVB_USB_DIB0700 - DiBcom DiB0700 USB DVB devices
DVB_USB_DIBUSB_MB - DiBcom USB DVB-T devices (based on the DiB3000M-B)
DVB_USB_DIBUSB_MC - DiBcom USB DVB-T devices (based on the DiB3000M-C/P)
DVB_USB_DIGITV - Nebula Electronics uDigiTV DVB-T USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_DTT200U - WideView WT-200U and WT-220U (pen) DVB-T USB2.0 support (Yakumo/Hama/Typhoon/Yuan)
DVB_USB_DW2102 - DvbWorld DVB-S/S2 USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_EC168 - E3C EC168 DVB-T USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_GP8PSK - GENPIX 8PSK->USB module support
DVB_USB_M920X - Uli m920x DVB-T USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_NOVA_T_USB2 - Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-T usb2 DVB-T USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_OPERA1 - Opera1 DVB-S USB2.0 receiver
DVB_USB_TTUSB2 - Pinnacle 400e DVB-S USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_UMT_010 - HanfTek UMT-010 DVB-T USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_VP702X - TwinhanDTV StarBox and clones DVB-S USB2.0 support
DVB_USB_VP7045 - TwinhanDTV Alpha/MagicBoxII, DNTV tinyUSB2, Beetle USB2.0 support
DVB_AF9013 - Afatech AF9013 demodulator
DVB_BCM3510 - Broadcom BCM3510
DVB_DS3000 - Montage Tehnology DS3000 based
DVB_LGS8GXX - Legend Silicon LGS8913/LGS8GL5/LGS8GXX DMB-TH demodulator
DVB_NXT200X - NxtWave Communications NXT2002/NXT2004 based
DVB_OR51132 - Oren OR51132 based
DVB_OR51211 - Oren OR51211 based
DVB_SP8870 - Spase sp8870
DVB_CX24116 - Conexant CX24116 based
DVB_SP887X - Spase sp887x based
DVB_TDA10048 - Philips TDA10048HN based
DVB_TDA1004X - Philips TDA10045H/TDA10046H
DVB_AV7110 - AV7110 cards
DVB_BUDGET - Budget cards
DVB_BUDGET_AV - Budget cards with analog video inputs
DVB_BUDGET_CI - Budget cards with onboard CI connector
DVB_DRX397XD - Micronas DRX3975D/DRX3977D based
DVB_PLUTO2 - Pluto2 cards
SMS_SIANO_MDTV - Siano SMS1xxx based MDTV receiver
SMS_USB_DRV - Siano's USB interface support
DVB_TTUSB_BUDGET - Technotrend/Hauppauge Nova-USB devices
DVB_TTUSB_DEC - Technotrend/Hauppauge USB DEC devices
VIDEO_BT848 - BT848 Video For Linux
VIDEO_CPIA2 - CPiA2 Video For Linux
VIDEO_CX18 - Conexant cx23418 MPEG encoder support
VIDEO_CX23885 - Conexant cx23885 (2388x successor) support
VIDEO_CX25840 - Conexant CX2584x audio/video decoders
VIDEO_CX88_BLACKBIRD - Blackbird MPEG encoder support (cx2388x + cx23416)
VIDEO_IVTV - Conexant cx23416/cx23415 MPEG encoder/decoder support
VIDEO_PVRUSB2 - Hauppauge WinTV-PVR USB2 support
VIDEO_GO7007 - Go 7007 support
VIDEO_GO7007_USB_S2250_BOARD - Sensoray 2250/2251 support
VIDEO_SAA7134_DVB - DVB/ATSC Support for saa7134 based TV cards
VIDEO_SAA7164 - NXP SAA7164 support
USB_DABUSB - DABUSB driver
USB_S2255 - USB Sensoray 2255 video capture device
USB_VICAM - USB 3com HomeConnect, AKA vicam
ACENIC - Alteon AceNIC/3Com 3C985/NetGear GA620 Gigabit
ADAPTEC_STARFIRE - Adaptec Starfire/DuraLAN support
BNX2 - Broadcom NetXtremeII
BNX2X - Broadcom NetXtremeII 10Gb support
CASSINI - Sun Cassini
CHELSIO_T3 - Chelsio AEL 2005 support
E100 - Intel PRO/100+
MYRI_SBUS - MyriCOM Gigabit Ethernet
MYRI10GE - Myricom Myri-10G Ethernet support
NETXEN_NIC - NetXen Multi port (1/10) Gigabit Ethernet NIC
R8169 - Realtek 8169 gigabit ethernet support
SLICOSS - Alacritech Gigabit IS-NIC cards
SPIDER_NET - Spider Gigabit Ethernet driver
TEHUTI - Tehuti Networks 10G Ethernet
TIGON3 - Broadcom Tigon3
TYPHOON - 3cr990 series Typhoon
COPS - COPS LocalTalk PC
YAM - YAM driver for AX.25
USB_IRDA - IrDA USB dongles
PCMCIA_SMC91C92 - SMC 91Cxx PCMCIA
PCCARD - PCCard (PCMCIA/CardBus) support
PCMCIA_3C574 - 3Com 3c574 PCMCIA support
PCMCIA_3C589 - 3Com 3c589 PCMCIA support
PCMCIA_PCNET - NE2000 compatible PCMCIA support
3C359 - 3Com 3C359 Token Link Velocity XL adapter
SMCTR - SMC ISA/MCA adapter
TMS380TR - Generic TMS380 Token Ring ISA/PCI adapter support
USB_KAWETH - USB KLSI KL5USB101-based ethernet device support
ATMEL Atmel at76c50x chipset 802.11b support
AT76C50X_USB - Atmel at76c503/at76c505/at76c505a USB cards
B43 - Broadcom 43xx wireless support (mac80211 stack)
B43LEGACY - Broadcom 43xx-legacy wireless support (mac80211 stack)
HERMES - Hermes chipset 802.11b support (Orinoco/Prism2/Symbol)
WLAGS49_H2 - Agere Systems HERMES II Wireless PC Card Model 0110
WLAGS49_H25 - Linksys Systems HERMES II.5 Wireless-G_CompactFlash_Card
IPW2100 - Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 Network Connection
IPW2200 - Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG and 2915ABG Network Connection
IWL3945 - Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG/BG Network Connection
IWLAGN - Intel Wireless WiFi Next Gen AGN
IWL4965 - Intel Wireless WiFi 4965AGN
IWL5000 - Intel Wireless WiFi 5000AGN
IWM - Intel Wireless Multicomm 3200 WiFi driver
IWMC3200TOP - Intel Wireless MultiCom Top Driver
LIBERTAS_CS - Marvell Libertas 8385 CompactFlash 802.11b/g cards
LIBERTAS_SDIO - Marvell Libertas 8385 and 8686 SDIO 802.11b/g cards
LIBERTAS_SPI - Marvell Libertas 8686 SPI 802.11b/g cards
LIBERTAS_USB - Marvell Libertas 8388 USB 802.11b/g cards
LIBERTAS_THINFIRM_USB - Marvell Libertas 8388 USB 802.11b/g cards with thin firmware
MWL8K - Marvell 88W8xxx PCI/PCIe Wireless support
OTUS - Atheros OTUS 802.11n USB wireless support
PRISM2_USB - Prism2.5/3 USB driver
P54_PCI - Prism54 PCI support
P54_SPI - Prism54 SPI (stlc45xx) support
P54_USB - Prism54 USB support
PRISM54 - Intersil Prism GT/Duette/Indigo PCI/Cardbus
RT2X00_LIB_FIRMWARE - Ralink driver firmware support
RT61PCI - Ralink rt2501/rt61 (PCI/PCMCIA) support
RT73USB - Ralink rt2501/rt73 (USB) support
RT2800PCI - Ralink rt2800 (PCI/PCMCIA) support
RT2800USB - Ralink rt2800 (USB) support
RT2860 - Ralink 2860/3090 wireless support
RT2870 - Ralink 2870/3070 wireless support
RTL8192E - RealTek RTL8192E Wireless LAN NIC driver
RTL8192U - RealTek RTL8192U Wireless LAN NIC driver
RTL8192SU - RealTek RTL8192SU Wireless LAN NIC driver
VT6656 - VIA Technologies VT6656 support
WL1251 - TI wl1251 support
WL1271 - TI wl1271 support
USB_ZD1201 - USB ZD1201 based Wireless device support
ZD1211RW - ZyDAS ZD1211/ZD1211B USB-wireless support
BT_ATH3K - Atheros firmware download driver
BT_HCIBCM203X - HCI BCM203x USB driver
BT_HCIBFUSB - HCI BlueFRITZ! USB driver
BT_HCIBT3C - HCI BT3C (PC Card) driver
BT_MRVL_SDIO - Marvell BT-over-SDIO driver
WIMAX_I2400M - Intel Wireless WiMAX Connection 2400
ISDN_DIVAS - Support Eicon DIVA Server cards
MISDN_SPEEDFAX - Support for Sedlbauer Speedfax+
SERIAL_8250_CS - 8250/16550 PCMCIA device support
SERIAL_ICOM - IBM Multiport Serial Adapter
SERIAL_QE - Freescale QUICC Engine serial port support
COMEDI_PCI_DRIVERS - Data acquisition support Comedi PCI drivers
COMEDI_USB_DRIVERS - Data acquisition support Comedi USB drivers
SCSI_QLOGICPTI - PTI Qlogic, ISP Driver
SCSI_ADVANSYS - AdvanSys SCSI
SCSI_QLOGIC_1280 - Qlogic QLA 1240/1x80/1x160 SCSI
SCSI_AIC94XX - Adaptec AIC94xx SAS/SATA support
SCSI_BFA_FC - Brocade BFA Fibre Channel Support
SCSI_QLA_FC - QLogic QLA2XXX Fibre Channel Support
USB_CXACRU - Conexant AccessRunner USB support
USB_SPEEDTOUCH - Speedtouch USB support
USB_UEAGLEATM - ADI 930 and eagle USB DSL modem
USB_EMI26 - EMI 2|6 USB Audio interface
USB_EMI62 - EMI 6|2m USB Audio interface
USB_ISIGHTFW - iSight firmware loading support
USB_SERIAL_KEYSPAN - USB Keyspan USA-xxx Serial Driver
USB_SERIAL_KEYSPAN_PDA - USB Keyspan PDA Single Port Serial Driver
USB_SERIAL_EDGEPORT - USB Inside Out Edgeport Serial Driver
USB_SERIAL_EDGEPORT_TI - USB Inside Out Edgeport Serial Driver (TI devices)
USB_SERIAL_TI - USB TI 3410/5052 Serial Driver
USB_SERIAL_WHITEHEAT - USB ConnectTech WhiteHEAT Serial Driver
UWB_I1480U - Support for Intel Wireless UWB Link 1480 HWA
SND_CS46XX - Cirrus Logic (Sound Fusion) CS4280/CS461x/CS462x/CS463x
SND_KORG1212 - Korg 1212 IO
SND_MAESTRO3 - ESS Allegro/Maestro3
SND_YMFPCI - Yamaha YMF724/740/744/754
SND_SB16_CSP - SB16 Advanced Signal Processor
SND_WAVEFRONT - Turtle Beach Maui,Tropez,Tropez+ (Wavefront)
SND_VX_LIB - Digigram VX soundcards
SND_DARLA20 - (Echoaudio) Darla20
SND_DARLA24 - (Echoaudio) Darla24
SND_ECHO3G - (Echoaudio) 3G cards
SND_GINA20 - (Echoaudio) Gina20
SND_GINA24 - (Echoaudio) Gina24
SND_INDIGO - (Echoaudio) Indigo
SND_INDIGODJ - (Echoaudio) Indigo DJ
SND_INDIGODJX - (Echoaudio) Indigo DJx
SND_INDIGOIO - (Echoaudio) Indigo IO
SND_INDIGOIOX - (Echoaudio) Indigo IOx
[[LinuxLibre:SND_LAYLA20|SND_LAYLA20 - (Echoaudio) Layla20
SND_LAYLA24 - (Echoaudio) Layla24
SND_MIA - (Echoaudio) Mia
SND_MONA - (Echoaudio) Mona
SND_EMU10K1 - Emu10k1 (SB Live!, Audigy, E-mu APS)
SND_MIXART - Digigram miXart
SND_PCXHR - Digigram PCXHR
SND_RIPTIDE - Conexant Riptide
SND_HDSP - RME Hammerfall DSP Audio
SND_AICA - Dreamcast Yamaha AICA sound
SND_MSND_PINNACLE - Support for Turtle Beach MultiSound Pinnacle
SND_MSND_CLASSIC - Support for Turtle Beach MultiSound Classic, Tahiti, Monterey
SOUND_MSNDCLAS - Support for Turtle Beach MultiSound Classic, Tahiti, Monterey (oss)
SOUND_MSNDPIN - Support for Turtle Beach MultiSound Pinnacle (oss)
SND_SSCAPE - Ensoniq SoundScape driver
SOUND_TRIX - MediaTrix AudioTrix Pro support
SOUND_TRIX - See above,
SOUND_PAS - ProAudioSpectrum 16 support,
SOUND_SB - 100% Sound Blaster compatibles (SB16/32/64, ESS, Jazz16) support
LinuxLibre:SOUND_PSSSOUND_PSS - PSS (AD1848, ADSP-2115, ESC614) support
DX_SEP - Discretix SEP driver

Desde RecBib quisiera hacer un llamamiento a la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa y la ciudadanía para evitar políticas privativas entre los comerciantes. La mejor manera que tenemos de reivindicarlo es no consumiendo sus productos.