[Nottingham] Microsoft's restricted boot

[david at gbenet.com]

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On 18/05/12 12:35, Jason Irwin wrote:
> On 18/05/12 12:07, Alex Holt wrote:
>> I'm not sure if Microsoft's monopoly on the desktop can by itself be
>> used as a reason to force them to require OEMs to allow secure boot to
>> be configured on ARM devices that ship with Windows 8. That seems like a
>> bit of a leap to me, especially when signed boot is not at all unusual
>> on ARM.
> It's not the signed-boot per se that's unreasonable, or even the
> pre-loading of Win8 keys; it's the block on allowing the user to add new
> keys on ARM devices that are Win8 badged (i.e. no custom mode).  Not
> only is it a serious restriction on use, but it is enforced obsolescence
> as there is a good chance the kit will refuse to run Win9 (even if it
> had the legs to do so).
> 
> As to the coercion, like I said the rumours have been around for a while
> but nothing has been proven in court.  Obviously any such coercion would
> only affect OEMs who play in both markets (e.g. Samsung).  Manufacturers
> like ASUS might be able to resist/evade as they do so much contract
> fabing for others and direct domestic consumption (e.g. MoBos etc)
> 
> One example could be exclusive contracts, a bit like Apple has on
> unibodies and other items (e.g. liquid metal I believe) with some
> manufacturers.
> 
> One saving grace in this scenarios is that MS has no cool and has
> consistently bombed on mobile platforms (phones, platforms, media etc).
> 
> Anyhoo, taking the tinfoil hat off, the block on consumers having the
> ability to enable custom mode on ARM is IMHO wrong and I consider it to
> be a abuse of a monopoly position; whether or not the regulators/courts
> agree with me is another matter.
> 
> Obligatory car reference: it is a bit like Ford mandating that only Ford
> dealers can sell Ford parts (or Ford licensed parts) and said parts can
> only be fitted by Ford trained personnel at Ford premises for Ford
> prices.  Imagine the uproar, and in point of fact we have regulations to
> prevent just such a scenario.
> 
This is in  fact what happens right now. A Dealer's not selling Renault Ford BMW he's
licensed to only deal with Ford etc.. They all keep their cars in their system for 3 years
then you can go to your corner shop and by a 3 year old car Ford Renault BMW. And yes if you
by a new Ford BMW Volvo etc. they are fitted by their respective trained mechanics who fit
only Ford BMW Volvo parts. Mechanics go on approved certified courses to be an approved
mechanic in a dealership.

What Dealer will sell you a Volvo Ford BMW Renault? None - unless he's buying in 3 or 4 year
old second hand cars.

Microsoft's whole strategy is to lock people in. It does this to maintain market share. It
does through end-user licenses - software licenses - and even you can  get to be an approved
certified Microsoft Engineer. It signs up company like IBM HP hard disk manufacturers -
motherboard manufacturers - I recall about 20 years ago that HP had to withdraw a range of
desktop computers - why? It cost them hundreds of millions of pounds. Well there CDs would
not work with Windows 98SE. They  had forgotten to pay Microsoft for the pleasure of having
their drivers included with Win98SE. All parts to a computer pay Microsoft's licensing fees.

Now as more and more people move over to Linux without having to pay every bloody distro a
large sum of money - many millions of pounds - then Microsoft has to ensure the continuation
of its vast revenue streams that run into trillions of dollars annually.

The question is how? What about making it impossible to install or upgrade your O/S? The
machine would be obsolete within a year and this would be a boost sales of new laptops a
desktops. If you think about it it would be a very very good idea for the likes of HP etc..
motherboard makers who have a turn around of 18 months to bring out a new motherboard. If
all this kit could be made to be bloody useless non upgradable - wow fantastic -  we have
created a near perfect revenue stream.

If I was Microsoft this is the route I would take. I'd convince all those that I had licence
agreements with 99 per cent of the market that for an extra 15 bucks on their existing
multi-million licence fee that this was the only logical route to follow.

As the new chairman of Microsoft - I'd say "well lets think of good enough reason to fool
people." And hey let's get everything made in China!!!

David
(Chairman of Microsoft)
- -- 
“See the sanity of the man! No gods, no angels, no demons, no body. Nothing of the
kind.Stern, sane,every brain-cell perfect and complete even at the moment of death. No
delusion.” https://linuxcounter.net/user/512854.html
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