UEFI ... How will it shake out?

Computer Help and Discussions Software
1

How will microsoft implement this thing? Opinions are all over the map.

Linux guys think it will prevent booting linux (or make it more difficult):

http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/5552.html

and

http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/5850.html

Microsoft guys are suggesting that:

- The decision is in the hands of the OEMs: http://www.itworld.c...-uefilinux-mess

- Dual booting will be possible: http://redmondmag.co...led.aspx?Page=1

good comment by "justauser" here :-)

- UEFI is super good security: http://blogs.msdn.co...-with-uefi.aspx

'nuther good comment by "justauser" here :-)

Some suggest that microsoft will adopt a less stringent implementation: http://www.itworld.c...bios-hello-uefi

I have read a lot about it, and it seems like there is much being left unsaid. The members here are always ahead of the game, so what do you guys think?

- Will microsoft pressure OEMs into locking out other operating systems (including Win XP)?

- If it is a security measure, whats to prevent hacking the UEFI instead of the BIOS?

- Why not just provide a means to reflash the UEFI or BIOS or whatever gets corrupted?

- Will UEFI prevent me from booting up a linux disk, like the ones used to repair windows now? :P

Don't want to start a fight, but I think the main reason microsoft likes UEFI is that it makes booting anything else difficult. History indicates that ms is more or less averse to spending money on security matters. Think of all the approaches they could have taken, and ask why they took this one.

I sure hope they don't lock things down.

2

I guess we are hoping that future pc's will have a user interface which will enable/disable the secure boot allowing users the choice of operating systems.

Let's keep our fingers crossed :)

I think that when folk are faced with their personal choices being restricted by a manufacturer they may vote with their money. However the vast majority of users will only use one OS on their machine at any one time anyway so will not see this as an issue.

3

I'll just stop dual-booting and use Linux only then. Their loss.

4

They can't do this.

It's called a monopoly.

The last time MS tried to become a monopoly, they had their pants sued off. And it was nothing nowhere near the level this is. It won't work. They will have options. Or users will sue them into the dirt. IF MS wants to succeed, they had better learn from the past. Because people have not forgotten, & they never will. You can't strip options from consumers without a fight.

Try to kill Ubuntu & other options people have, & MS will become a has-been.

Don't you guys worry if UEFI will take away our choices. It won't. Not if MS still wants to exist as a company.

5

Thanks for the comforting words, Super Fast. You're probably right, there probably would be anti-trust litigation, at least in the European community. There is already talk of that on some blogs.

Many of the articles started about UEFI seem to be trial balloons, floated to measure the general reaction. And, boy howdy did they get a reaction. :-)

However, as Hazel said, most users just use one OS. Most of my friends just want to turn the computer on and use it. They have neither the time nor the desire to learn about more than that, nor should they have to, imho.

So ms will continue to dominate the market. And to be fair, windows is a great OS, it is just a big easy target for malware writers. I don't think UEFI will change that.

I intend to go a bit beyond a passive, wait & see approach. I shall contact HP and tell them that they will lose a lifetime customer if they don't allow a UEFI workaround. Then I shall tell Dell and Acer about the huge number of their computers I have fixed using linux (one each, so far, but I fixed the Dell twice :P ). If that doesn't impress them, nothing will.

6

You are right about the malware. I have had to clean malware from several Windows 7 systems, including the 64 bit ones, wherein malware would become locked into the system hosts file.

That is in addition to the other registry based redirects/browser hijackers/BHO add-ons, etc, etc.

And although I do agree that Windows is a great OS, I found out recently why Linux is growing in popularity... Stability.

There was a laptop someone had that had some faulty hardware, & although not the fault of Windows, I suppose, none of the 6 flavors of Windows I tried (experimenting with it) were able to run successfully without a bluescreen. ReactOS suffered the same fate. To be fair, this was not the fault of the OS, but however....

Ubuntu not only installed, it had some kind of fault tolerance that enabled it to work without bluescreening. This really impressed me to no end.