Please read the linked article. [below]If Microsoft gets away with this, then no computer that has a Windows 8 logo on it will not be able to boot from free OSs like Linux. This will be part of the BIOS. You might not be able to run free software like LibreOffice, if it goes to the extreme end.
To me, if MS get away with forcing OEMs to make it so their systems cannot run Linux, then it is another anti-trust violation for MS. Billy boy is going back to court about unfair practices from the 90's, so if people do not step up now to convince OEMs that we will not buy their products if they implement the free OS and software blocker at the BOOT LEVEL, then we cannot buy any new computers for Linux.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/free-software-foundation-urges-oems-to-say-no-to-mandatory-windows-8-uefi-cage/9770?alertspromo=&tag=nl.rSINGLE <http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/free-software-foundation-urges-oems-to-say-no-to-mandatory-windows-8-uefi-cage/9770?alertspromo=&tag=nl.rSINGLE>
Free Software Foundation urges OEMs to say no to mandatory Windows 8 UEFI cage
By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols | October 18, 2011, 1:26pm PDTSummary: The Free Software Foundation is asking OEMs to give users a choice on Microsoft anti-Linux Windows 8's United Extensive Firmware security "feature."
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