Posted on 01/15/2012 7:20:38 AM PST by ShadowAce
At the beginning of December, we warned the Copyright Office that operating system vendors would use UEFI
secure boot anticompetitively, by colluding with hardware partners to exclude alternative operating systems. As Glyn Moody points out, Microsoft has wasted no time in revising its Windows Hardware Certification Requirements to effectively ban most alternative operating systems on ARM-based devices that ship with Windows 8.
The Certification Requirements define (on page 116) a "custom" secure boot mode, in which a physically present user can add signatures for alternative operating systems to the system's signature database, allowing the system to boot those operating systems. But for ARM devices, Custom Mode is prohibited: "On an ARM system, it is forbidden to enable Custom Mode. Only Standard Mode may be enable." [sic] Nor will users have the choice to simply disable secure boot, as they will on non-ARM systems: "Disabling Secure [Boot] MUST NOT be possible on ARM systems." [sic] Between these two requirements, any ARM device that ships with Windows 8 will never run another operating system, unless it is signed with a preloaded key or a security exploit is found that enables users to circumvent secure boot.
While UEFI secure boot is ostensibly about protecting user security, these non-standard restrictions have nothing to do with security. For non-ARM systems, Microsoft requires that Custom Mode be enabled—a perverse demand if Custom Mode is a security threat. But the ARM market is different for Microsoft in three important respects:
The new policy betrays the cynicism of Microsoft's initial response to concerns over Windows 8's secure boot requirement. When kernel hacker Matthew Garrett expressed his concern that PCs shipped with Windows 8 might prevent the installation of GNU/Linux and other free operating systems, Microsoft's Tony Mangefeste replied, "Microsoft’s philosophy is to provide customers with the best experience first, and allow them to make decisions themselves." It is clear now that opportunism, not philosophy, is guiding Microsoft's secure boot policy.
Before this week, this policy might have concerned only Windows Phone customers. But just yesterday, Qualcomm announced plans to produce Windows 8 tablets and ultrabook-style laptops built around its ARM-based Snapdragon processors. Unless Microsoft changes its policy, these may be the first PCs ever produced that can never run anything but Windows, no matter how Qualcomm feels about limiting its customers' choices. SFLC predicted in our comments to the Copyright Office that misuse of UEFI secure boot would bring such restrictions, already common on smartphones, to PCs. Between Microsoft's new ARM secure boot policy and Qualcomm's announcement, this worst-case scenario is beginning to look inevitable.
They like the way things are going with the xbox and want what apple has with the iphone and ipad. Why doesn’t anyone complain about the iphone and ipad locking people out of choices?
This will be interesting.
Yep since the U.S. Military just switched over to Linux to control their UAVs because of the virus they were infested with using Windows.
Exactly. I do a lot of work developing business solutions using Excel and VBA. Nothing else will work. Apple's copy of Excel doesn't support VBA.
Why doesn’t anyone complain about the iphone and ipad
locking people out of choices?
People vote with their checkbooks
If you don't like it, don't buy the things
The vast majority of users just want a box that works
Some like to tinker, this is good also,
but the majority don't.
Apple has been a niche player for a long time
They have been very successful at this.
They also, in their boxes,
have been open to other operating systems
The iPad and iPhone are SOC systems
System on Chip
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_A4
so the system is on the chip, and is a hardware feature
Better is the enemy of good.
Microsoft is the enemy of ______?
"That's an unfair comparison. People like the Apple."
(Early Apple ad)
DOS isn’t done until Lotus won’t run.
No. ARM devices are phones and pads. PCs are still intel architected.
You will laugh, citizen.
(See what's happening to North Koreans who didn't mourn well enough for the reason you will laugh openly and with such great enthusiasm)...
Lotus 1 2 3, Wordperfect, and Netscape Navigator were unavailable for comment.
If they can make BIOS that is changeable, they can make SOC changeable also.
No. You didn’t bother to read what the article said.
ARM or something like it will move into PCs. It is inevitable. You can only miniaturize components of an ATX form factor machine so far before it becomes pointless. And without relentless miniaturization, the computer industry will die. CPU, GPU and BIOS will merge. Eventually RAM and solid state hard drives will be incorporated too.
Interesting. My iMac runs windows just fine.
No it won’t. There’s no need for miniaturization in PCs, they’re 99% air. Even in laptops owing to the necessity of usable keyboards and readable screen they don’t need to get much smaller than they already have. Portable stuff needs things to shrink, non-portable or semi-portable has already hit the size it needs.
GPU only to an extent (lower end users). Mid to Higher end systems will still rely on GPU’s that have the power and flexibility for demanding jobs and even games.
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