[Nottingham] Microsoft's restricted boot

[Alex Holt]

Unfortunately not. Microsoft aren't requiring computers to only boot
Windows; their requirement is simply that computers support secure
boot in order to get Windows 8 certification.

It's hardware manufacturers and OEMs who determine how exactly they
implement it -- they're free to choose whether to allow secure boot to
be disabled or to allow the user to add their own signing keys. It just
so happens that many of them will, outside of Microsoft's control, opt
to disallow both; either out of ignorance, apathy, spite, price
discrimination or "for your security".

Microsoft's requirement isn't anti-competitive because it doesn't
exclude other OSs, and since no motherboard manufacturer or OEM has a
monopoly, their decisions can't be anti-competitive.

It's a nice little legal dodge.


On 18/05/2012 10:25, T.J long thing wrote:
> You realise this will breach anti competition laws so won't last
> long
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: david at gbenet.com Date: Fri, 18 May 2012 09:23:39
> To: <nottingham at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Subject: [Nottingham] Microsoft's restricted boot
> 
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> Microsoft want to introduce a restricted boot - in that computers
> will only boot a Microsoft O/S I God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Do something about it!!
> 
> www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/statement
> <http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/statement>
> 
> 
> David