Eighteen months after shipping, AMD's Personal Internet Communicator, aimed at lowering the cost of computing so half the world could enjoy Internet access by 2015, apparently still doesn't run Linux. It now appears the design may actually be rigged to block the use of Linux.
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Member since:2005-08-15
did you actually read the article? The reason why they blocked installing something else but windows CE was because their customers didn't want their personnel to be able to hit a few keys and reinstall stuff. So they locked it. Besides the opposite can be done too, if someone wants solely linux, they can block windows from installing on the thing.
Member since:2005-09-01
Member since:2005-07-06
How DUMB can that be?
Not half as dumb as you for not reading the ------- article, which clearly stated that a Windows CE license can be as cheap as $3 depending on volume and the options you choose.
The BIOS was set up to check the host OS, and reset if anything went wrong. It's a security/stability thing. Allowing Linux to work would be more work (and therefore cost) and would not pay off due to minimal consumer demand.
I like Linux as much as the next guy, but this article is just trolling.
Edited 2006-05-05 11:12
Member since:2005-07-12
>> The BIOS was set up to check the host OS, and reset if anything went wrong. It's a security/stability thing. Allowing Linux to work would be more work (and therefore cost) and would not pay off due to minimal consumer demand.
Which was my take on the device originally... and yes, I've seen it running linux and you do have to jump through a couple hoops; but what the majority of chicken necks here are missing is this is a device that in most installations has CE EMBEDDED.
That and target market - these were being billed as something grandma takes home, plugs in and goes online with - not something the hacker takes home and tries shoe-horning linux onto. Ever try loading linux on a WebTV2? This is no different; and you'll note that it's NOT AMD that did it, it's the people reselling these things. "The PIC can run Linux, but it is not a solution that our customers or users have asked for." spells it out in pretty big letters. AMD's customers LIKE Radio Shack are the ones that should be the topic of the article, not AMD itself.
Besides, 99% of the wild claims of malware immunity the article makes misses the fact that Windows CE is damned near as immune to tampering as linux. Ever seen a stable fast version of IE immune to activeX and other exploits? I have, it's called a CE device.
Member since:
2005-12-31
They built a computer that has a per-piece cost that is lower of the WinCe license and gave it a BIOS that BLOCKS the free software to work on it?
How DUMB can that be?
Unless you didn't do that on purpose to permit your buddy to get a foot in a new developing market... Yes Bill, talking of you.