Re: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware
On Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 9:31 AM, chris <tknchris@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 8:45 AM, Tom H <tomh0665@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Fri, Sep 23, 2011 at 7:10 AM, Camaleón <noelamac@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:18:07 +1000, Alex wrote:
>>>
>>>> Any comments on the "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
>>>> firmware" and its ability to preclude booting from alternative
>>>> operating
>>>> systems such as Linux, BSD etc., would be greatly appreciated, as per
>>>> article entitled "Windows 8 secure boot would 'exclude' Linux" at
>>>>
>>>> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/21/secure_boot_firmware_linux_exclusion_fears/
>>>
>>> I recently read several IT media articles for that news, but I find them
>>> a bit lacking, that is, what is the real scope for that -crazy-
>>> proposal?
>>
>> It's not that crazy from MS's perspective. Not only is it intended to
>> make Windows more secure (at least from a sales perspective) but it
>> may very well prevent me, for example, from installing Fedora on my
>> netbook as I've done. It's not MS's first attempt. There was a
>> hardware-based attempt a few years ago with Trusted Computing and the
>> TPM chip. IIRC the GNU people re-baptized it Treacherous Computing! :)
>
> We can all see where this is going... MS has OEM's lockout UEFI, some new
> "team" will pop up and start the PC jailbreak/unlock scene, MS will cry that
> its illegal, court wont even understand wtf is going on, etc, etc ...
Dell and co will have to enable UEFI's secure boot by default in order
to get MS marketing help/$ and stick Win8 logos on their boxes. The
question that's going to have to be answered is whether users'll be
able to turn off secure boot in order to install Linux/BSD/WinXP. And
if users can't turn off UEFI's secure boot, antitrust authorities'll
get involved.
Reply to: