"Mark Kent" <mark.kent@xxxxxxxxxxx> schreef in bericht
news:uj3kf4-ggm.ln1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Guy Fawkes <spare_the_rod@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
>>
>> "Hadron Quark" <hadronquark@xxxxxxxxx> schreef in bericht
>> news:87slawivj2.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> "Guy Fawkes" <spare_the_rod@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>>>
>>>> "Roy Schestowitz" <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> schreef in bericht
>>>> news:1403755.sq3BhvopCs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Warning! Microsoft's New Power-Grab
>>>>>
>>>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>>> | Turns out that a main application did NOT work with Vista. I'm not
>>>>> sure
>>>>> | about why, but it involved mounting a shared disk. So, I went back
>>>>> to
>>>>> | Best Buy to buy a copy of XP (the full version since I would be
>>>>> | installing from scratch.) After spending an hour loading XP, I
>>>>> realize
>>>>> | that neither the wireless nor ethernet adapters worked, and the
>>>>> | graphics card on the laptop was not supported. Groan. It HAD to
>>>>> | be the network cards, didn't it!?
>>>>> |
>>>>> | [...]
>>>>> |
>>>>> | So, a bit frustrated, but ultimately satisfied with Best Buy, I
>>>>> promptly
>>>>> | went home and ordered an equivalent Dell laptop (with XP) online.
>>>>> |
>>>>> | [...]
>>>>> |
>>>>> | If you purchase a PC, make sure that all your devices & applications
>>>>> work
>>>>> | with Vista, or that you have the option of retro-grading the OS back
>>>>> to
>>>>> | XP if you choose.
>>>>> `----
>>>>
>>>> I was afraid this would happen. It wouldn't surprise me that Linux also
>>>> will
>>>> have trouble installing on a Vista-ready laptop. My guess is that
>>>> Microsoft
>>>> has engineered the hardware in such a way that only Vista will install
>>>> on
>>>> it
>>>> and no other OS, just to throw sand in Linux's engine.
>>>>
>>>> Has anyone managed to install Linux on a Vista-ready PC?
>>>
>>> Please tell me you are joking here?
>>>
>>> How has Microsoft engineered any hardware you buffoon?
>>
>> By making up the hardware specifications to which PC makers need to abide
>> to
>> gain the 'Windows Vista Ready' certification (which they all want).
>>
>
> I don't know how much control Microsoft could exert over hardware, but I
> think they could look to mess around with the BIOS and boot-loaders to
> make things even more difficult. I wonder how long it will be before
> the first "Dual-book Linux & Vista" Howto appears. I suppose my first
> question would be "why do you want vista?".
>
>From what I understand Microsoft is quietly working with (read: threatening)
hardware manufacturers on many fronts to make booting Linux on a future PC
nigh impossible. For example: newer wireless LAN cards all have firmware
that needs to be transferred to the card by the OS, which necessitates that
the OS must be shipped with firmware, which is copyrighted and can't be just
shipped with Linux distributions. Now, I see that projects such as MadWifi
are simply ignoring this copyright (with or without consent of the hardware
manufacturers) but it's a good example of undermining Linux. Why else would
a LAN card need to have its firmware loaded by the OS?
Another possible attack vector is graphics chipset manufacturers which can
be mugged into only supporting a decrepid version of OpenGL by threatening
them with withholding DirectX specifications or licensing. ATI has been
notorious for not supporting Linux fully and this may be since the company
is in an underdog position compared to Intel (not to mention dire financial
straits) and will abide by Microsoft's rules to allow it to gain marketshare
against Intel.
Also Microsoft is 'encouraging' hardware manufacturers to keep their
hardware specs 'closed and proprietary' and to withhold information to
open-source developers that want to develop a device driver.
--
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