Microsoft confirms UEFI fears, locks down ARM devices

[pokerfan]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Microsoft would do something like this...

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.

www.softwarefreedom.org/blog/2012/jan/12/microsoft-confirms-UEFI-fears-locks-down-ARM/

[Renew Deal]

1. Aren't ARM devices basically phones and tablets?

Is anyone installing other OS's on those devices?

[pokerfan]

2. from the article

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.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. I am coming back here tomorrow to ask questions

all my intelligence leaked out tonight
but this is something I need to show to Mr. Dixie
and to ask the puter wizards here about.
tomorrow.

[bemildred]

4. It is good to konow what to avoid. Thanks for the warning. nt

[hobbit709]

5. Forwarded this to a lawyer buddy who specializes in computers.

I'll post what he thinks.

[phantom power]

6. It's practically cruel, giving Microsoft a tool like that....

and expecting them not to use it.