FSF Campaigns Against Windows 8's Secure Boot
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has initiated a campaign against the Secure Boot feature in Windows 8.
By design, the feature is intended to keep unwanted and potentially malicious software off a system by preventing unauthorized binaries to load during the boot process. However, the FSF believes that this technology could be abused and simply be used to not allow users to load certain free software.
"We are concerned that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers will implement these boot restrictions in a way that will prevent users from booting anything other than Windows," wrote Matt Lee in a post on the FSF website. "In this case, a better name for the technology might be Restricted Boot, since such a requirement would be a disastrous restriction on computer users and not a security feature at all."
Lee suggests that users should keep their ability to decide whether they want to enable or disable boot restrictions and there should be a way that will allow users to install a free OS.
"Computer owners must not be required to seek external authorization to exercise their freedoms," Lee wrote. If Windows 8 will prevent users from installing a free OS, Lee believes the result may be "complicated and risky measures to circumvent the restrictions", and the " popular trend of reviving old hardware with GNU/Linux would come to an end."
It's a good idea to keep an eye on such new features, but I would think that it is rather unlikely that Microsoft will shut out other OS from its Windows 8 platform. If Microsoft was almost broken up over the integration of IE in Windows, it's fairly easy to imagine the potential antitrust effects if it were to shut out other operating systems.
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I know its a bit different but sony did it on the PS3
lol, but the PS3 is different. (although it was worse than this imo)
It's Microsoft's OS and if they want to make changes to the way the system starts for valid reason then so be it.
I really do wish the open-source crowd would stick to creating their own stuff that works rather than criticise others for making changes to their systems.
If all open-source software was trustworthy or was sure to work there wouldn't be an issue with it loading up at boot-time but as most is faulty rubbish with no recourse or support for the end-user when things go wrong OS manufacturers should have the right to ensure their system works before worrying about some piece of open-source software being incompatible.
dizzy_davidh
unbelievable to come out and say somthing like that you must work for M$
it is plainly obvious to me that the user dizzy_davidh didn't quite understand the ramifications to even to them. It is the fact that YOU will not have a say as to what operating system is run on the system which is more on a par to what Apple Macintosh does. If you were that way inclined and actually WANTED to run another, or as most people do, run multiple operating systems (YOUR choices). Then it would be tough shit because the primary operating system would not allow it. Thats not just about MY choices, but ANYONE's! there will have to be an option in bios to disable it. IMHO this is just another move by microsoft to lock its users into their operating system AND NO OTHER and is tantamount to a breach of human rights, our freedoms of choice!
He who controls the flow of information, controls the world!
Peace out