The story about how secure boot for Windows 8, part of UEFI, will hinder the use of non-signed binaries and operating systems, like Linux, has registered at Redmond as well. The company posted about it on the Building Windows 8 blog - but didn't take any of the worries away. In fact, Red Hat's Matthew Garrett, who originally broke this story, has some more information - worst of which is that Red Hat has received confirmation from hardware vendors that some of them will not allow you to disable secure boot.
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Member since:2010-03-11
You do realize that not only are your numbers off, but also your entire point.
The PC took off for the very reason that it was easily modifiable. Security has never been a concern. All a manufacturer who doesn't include the ability to shut off the "secure boot" option does is shoot themselves in the foot.
Member since:2005-08-11
Member since:2009-05-25
Hmmm, my desktop OS is Ubuntu and I choose not to live in a "walled garden" with Windows 8 or OS X. I expect my hardware to allow me to make that choice without needing permission from Microsoft. It's my hardware and I expect to be able to use it as I see fit.
Yeah, I also do not believe in intrusive government either. Freedom is a beautiful thing. It is a shame that Microsoft doesn't agree.
Member since:2009-05-19
Member since:2010-06-19
Member since:2005-07-09
I think you're missing the point. I'm sure most OSNews users are fine with UEFI -- it's a great feature. However, it's only a feature if it can be turned off. Think of it like this: Cake is great. I love cake. Sometimes I want to eat cake, and sometimes I want to eat things that aren't cake. If someone gives me cake, I'll probably enjoy it. If someone gives me cake and then stops me from eating anything else ever, I'd be pretty upset. And in poor health.
Member since:2011-01-28
noamsmi,
"I think you're missing the point. I'm sure most OSNews users are fine with UEFI -- it's a great feature. However, it's only a feature if it can be turned off."
Well, there are three issues that I've picked up on so far. In order of significance, they are:
1. Turn the flag off to boot alternative OS at all.
2. The ability to dual boot linux and windows without reconfiguring the bios each time.
3. The ability to actually use the feature under linux instead of merely disabling it.
Even if secure boot can be disabled, linux users still have legitimate concerns about the other two unnecessary restrictions built into the computer.
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Appfour added, among other features, C/C++ support to its new version of AIDE. From Android-IDE, "Now you can write parts of your app or your whole app in C/C++ on your device. AIDE supports the Standard Android NDK toolchain (GCC 4.6 + Bionic, STL, ...). No changes are necessary if you want to build an app developed on a PC with Eclipse. C/C++ development is fully integrated: Build errors appear in the error list and files can easily be navigated to with Go to file. The editor supports C/C++ syntax highlighting."
Ars nails it: "The answer is that Google did announce what amounts to a fairly substantial Android update yesterday. They simply did it without adding to the update fragmentation problems that continue to plague the platform. By focusing on these changes and not the apparently-waiting-in-the-wings update to the core software, Google is showing us one of the ways in which it's trying to fix the update problem."
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"It was the only moment I heard regret slip into Otellini's voice during the several hours of conversations I had with him. 'The lesson I took away from that was, while we like to speak with data around here, so many times in my career I've ended up making decisions with my gut, and I should have followed my gut,' he said. 'My gut told me to say yes.'" The world would've been a much different place - Apple would have been less dependant on Samsung for its chips, which probably would've meant less money for Samsung to develop its Galaxy business.Glass is getting some love at Google I/O as well. New applications have been released - Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, Elle, Tumblr, and CNN. Perhaps more interesting: the newly announced Google Glass Developer Kit will allow offline applications and direct hardware access - great for hacking and expanding Glass' potential. This kit will really allow hackers to put Glass through its paces."But Beck and Merrill decided that simply banning toxic players wasn't an acceptable solution for their game. Riot Games began experimenting with more constructive modes of player management through a formal player behavior initiative that actually conducts controlled experiments on its player base to see what helps reduce bad behavior. The results of that initiative have been shared at a lecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and on panels at the Penny Arcade Expo East and the Game Developers Conference." Absolutely fascinating stuff. I'm a League of Legends player, and to be honest, the community isn't nearly as bad as some make it out to be. I'm happy Riot games has the guts to employ science to address the issue.
"Android and iOS, the number one and number two ranked smartphone operating systems worldwide, combined for 92.3% of all smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2013 as Windows Phone crept past BlackBerry for 3rd place. According to the International Data Corporation Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Android smartphone vendors and Apple shipped a total of 199.5 million units worldwide during 1Q13, up 59.1% from the 125.4 million units shipped during 1Q12." Windows Phone doubles from a few to twice few, iOS loser market share as its growth is slower than that of the overall market. BlackBerry continues slide into irrelevance."According to the latest research from our Wireless Smartphone Strategies service, global Android smartphone profits reached US$5 billion in total during the first quarter of 2013. Samsung dominated and captured an impressive 95 percent share of all Android smartphone profits." Wow.
Member since:
2010-12-08
Matthew Garrett, Red Hat:
"If Microsoft were serious about giving the end user control, they'd be mandating that systems ship without any keys installed."
Please come back to earth Garrett! It's a safety feature, the whole point is that it's on by default. PCs aren't about 'giving the end user control', they are about creating an efficient, beautiful, and secure computing experience. Linux guys will never understand 99% of the user population (after 20 years I'm sure of this). Hence the 1% market share on the desktop.
I love the new innovative and assertive Microsoft. MS has a serious fight on their hands (not with Linux, of course). Anyone who doesn't get this deserves to be steamrolled into the ground.
Go Microsoft!