[ale] Micro$oft blocking Linux booting in hardware

[Tim Watts]

I think the concern is that microsoft is planning to REQUIRE UEFI in
order to boot Windows 8 and that manufacturers MAY NOT allow other
"unauthorized" OSes to boot under UEFI (either because it's easier not
to or possibly as an M$ requirement). There are no definitive claims
about this in the campaign. It seems to be an effort to create a ground
swell to make manufacturers aware before it's too late that such an
approach would be unacceptable.

If Windows 8 forces you to monkey with BIOS setting in order to boot
over to Linux, that would suck. It would only serve to isolate Linux
further from users with less than super-geek capabilities.


On Fri, 2011-10-21 at 12:18 -0400, Rich Faulkner wrote:
> I have yet to read about this so may be chiming in too early but...
> 
> If the issue is UEFI related all you have to do is disable that in the
> BIOS or lower it in priority of the boot sequence so that it doesn't
> invoke.  Flash a legacy BIOS (if available as well) but keep in mind
> that EFI/UEFI are standards that allow you to make your own pre-boot
> environment.  Worth further reading online and originally developed by
> Intel as "The Framework" if memory serves....RinL
> 
> 
> On Fri, 2011-10-21 at 09:34 -0400, Derek Atkins wrote: 
> > Mike Harrison <cluon at geeklabs.com> writes:
> > 
> > > On Thu, 20 Oct 2011, Bob Toxen wrote:
> > >> http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/statement
> > >
> > > Done.
> > >
> > > Remember the real vote is with your wallet. Support the hardware 
> > > manufacturers that support your choice in OS. Which, while it goes
> > > without saying, they usually have little knowledge that you are using 
> > > their hardware with Linux. As a group, we tend to just "make it work",
> > > It helps a lot to let the manufacturer and/or retailer know you
> > > bought it because it works with Linux.
> > 
> > my understanding is that there would be a BIOS switch to turn this off.
> > 
> > -derek
> 
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