MS won't shut Linux out with secure UEFI.

http://www.efytimes.com/e1/72778/fullnews.htm


Saturday, November 05, 2011: A good news comes for the FOSS community who was worried about Linux lockout on Windows PCs. Windows pundit Ed Bott has cited assurances from Windows 8 PC makers that there will be no Linux lockout.

Reports had suggested that Microsoft is working on ultra-fast booting of Windows 8 PC through a specification called Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). This specification includes something that software giant calls 'secure booting', which is designed to obstruct rootkit malware infections. Experts are of the opinion that this 'secure booting' system will prevent Linux running on Windows 8 PCs.

 

linuxforall, you are the bearer of good news. Let's hope.

 

I'd be sceptical. Maybe it's a ploy to put the opposition to sleep.

 

Let's be honest... Linux really isn't competition in terms of users computers. Microsoft really wouldn't gain a hell of a lot by locking them out except for some bad PR.

But we'll see.

 

Very improbable.

~still laughing~

 

Linux isn't their competition period, Google is. This has been one huge overreaction from the get go. Why on earth would MS feel the need to lock out an OS that is used by less than 5% of the computing population of the world? It wouldn't make sense whatsoever, and, as Hungry said, it would invite nothing but a backlash. But, yeah, I guess that less than 5% can stop sweating it now, good for them.

 

Not to mention hardware vendors would probably not agree to it. Look at dell selling Ubuntu installed on laptops due to number of requests. Yes there is a small ( I think 1%) percentage of users but that is still millions of people and as far as hardware manufacturers are concered millions of dollars. Even without pre-loading Linux on the computers.

Hardware companies also sell lots of "desktop" computers to people who in turn use them as a NAS or server. Linux is the go to for these uses. I can see vendors doing one of two things:

Letting the user opt-out at home after purchase

or forcing the user to opt-out before purchase (on the website).

I'm not to worried because worse case I just sign the bootloader myself and it boots or I just find a vendor who sells "unlocked" UEFI's.

The work arounds are endless.

 

Just like the anti-trust cases.

 

Microsoft to Prevent Linux Booting on ARM Hardware?
Source: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/01/microsoft-to-prevent-linux-booting-on-arm-hardware/

 

And so it goes ...

 

http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2012/01/people-in-glass-houses-shouldnt-throw.html

 

The UEFI motherboard Bios are already here on new motherboards. I don't see what the fuss is about.

 

Why UEFI secure boot is difficult for Linux.

-- Tom

 

Obviously the "Linux Powers that Be" need to get intimately involved in any Specification that is being written that affects Linux. Unfortunately that leaves me out (and most everyone).