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Re: [Sheflug] FSF winduhs 8

On Mar 2, 2012 9:35 AM, "Richard Ibbotson" <richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> FSF rambling on about restricted boot on the ARM platform...
>
> http://www.i-programmer.info/news/149-security/3858-fsf-opposes-
> restricted-boot.html
>
>
> "  The Free Software Foundation is running a Restricted Boot Webcomic
> Contest to raise awareness of the issues surrounding Microsoft's
> "Secure Boot" feature on Windows 8 ARM-based machines which threatens
> to lock out other operating systems. This is marketing masquerading as
> security. "
>
> Note the Raspberry Pi uses the ARM architecture.   Will Microsoft be
> able to lock this down?  In some ways this is a good question.  As far
> I understand it Microsoft attempts to lock down the Arm platform in
> Europe will fail due to EU law.  Not allowed to do what they want to
> do.  Might be that under U.S. law they can do something ?  Not sure
> about the latter.  Whatever else happens they will certainly use their
> marketing power to drive out GNU/Linux from the ARM CPU in the way
> that they did from the Asus EeePC.    Say n'more ?...  <cough>
> Winduhs advert...

It's different this time round though surely? Google and Apple are both
outselling Microsoft on arm and have significant marketing power of their
own. Sure neither company is using GNU/Linux but a more open market will
mean manufacturers will be bolder in their resistance to Microsoft's
advances.

As for the raspberry pi, it'll only be locked down if it was sold with
Windows OEM, you can't even install windows on arm if it isn't OEM! Since
they don't even sell the pi with storage it doesn't even come into
Microsoft's agenda which seems awfully short sighted, for the last decade
they have used education to assimilate more drones ;)

Andrew
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