[Discuss] Fighting UEFI

[cra at WPI.EDU (Chuck Anderson)]

On Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 03:33:03AM -0400, Tom Metro wrote:
> Even on x86, where Microsoft doesn't prevent the hardware vendor from
> allowing Secure Boot to be turned off, you can bet than many lazy
> vendors simply won't implement an option to turn it off, because they
> can't be bothered supporting features for small populations. This will
> further constrict available hardware choices for non-Windows OSs.

If they don't implement it, they won't get Windows 8 certification.

It is ironic that in this case, making sure the hardware you buy is
Windows 8 certified ensures that you will be able to turn off Secure
Boot...

> But I'm not sure what the remedy is for that, as the concept for Secure
> Boot seems sound, and it doesn't seem right that some outside force (an
> FTC lawsuit, for example) should compel Microsoft to include in its
> "Windows Hardware Certification Requirements" that hardware vendors
> *must* include the ability to turn off Secure Boot. Clearly Microsoft
> has no motivation to do this on their own.

They already DID include that.