Re: [libreoffice-marketing] MS plans to force OEMs to add boot feature that blocks use of Linux and free software.

Quote:
"If they can make a hardware "security system" that stops Linux to
work on those machine, will they be able to do the same for non-MS
software, like LO and other open source software?  What is stopping
them?  Not the law and our courts.  Their fines are pocket money.  Put
MS leadership in jail for a few years, then maybe they will stop
breaking our laws."

If you think the politicians or judges are going to protect you, I
suggest you simply look at their acts to disabuse yourself of that
notion.

There is no doubt that the secure boot could be abused by MS.  The
feature itself, isn't really a bad idea.  Trusted components should
not be easy to modify, and will make it more difficult for malware
writers and computer criminals to subvert systems.

The key question to ask is "Trusted by whom?"  Clearly, trusted by the
owner/purchaser of the system, of course!  But the big business types
just don't see it that way.

Fortunately as long as you have access to the hardware, there will
always be work arounds.  The UEFI is saved in a flash memory chip.  It
can be reprogrammed, with an open UEFI implementation that is more
"user friendly."  I suspect this is what will ultimately happen, in
the worst case scenario.

Intel already has an open source UEFI project underway.  How long do
you think it would be before the code is modified to make setting up a
dual boot system easier?

Intel UEFI project
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/tianocore/index.php?title=Welcome

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