Windows 8 secure boot would 'exclude' Linux - Microsoft wants firmware to only start authorised OSes

The Register ^ | 9/21/11 | John Leyden

[KoRn]

Does anyone really dual boot OSs anymore? Most folks just run virtual machines, rather than have a 2nd OS installed on the hard disk. Better that way, given that you can run your 2nd OS at the same time as the ‘primary’.

This does stink though. For whatever reason, certain users may NEED to dual boot, and the option should be there.

[Nat Turner]

And that is how the government could shut down the internet...just make everyone buy new “approved” PC’s...(cash for computer)

[Campion]

This isn’t just for dual boots. It’s wired into the firmware, so the system wouldn’t be able to boot Linux *at all*.

[LaybackLenny]

Fine, Microsoft. I've been running a Linux/XP box for several years. Let's see, which one am I gonna live without?

See ya Mr. Gates.

[Wayne07]

Dual booting isn’t the main issue, it is that you wouldn’t be able to install a different OS on a “windows” box. You possibly wouldn’t be able to take your old Dell, and install linux to turn it into a media server, for example.

[steve86]

The whole world’s going to crap. Who knew the system designers were part of Agenda 21?

[Da Coyote]

So very Microsoft.

They really do not have any talent...never have.

Gate’s legacy of sleazy business practices has long been successful in giving us junk.

May he rest with dead Ted.

[KoRn]

Wow! That’s worse than I thought! (I just skimmed the article)

The PC makers should tell MS to piss up a rope!

[bigbob]

Hey Microsoft, take your pick:

Abort

Retry

or

FAIL!

[3Fingas]

I dual boot AND run several virtual machines. I prefer running some things natively for the comparative performance advantages you get.

I don’t see this new boot loader getting much traction. Even if it does, it will be reverse engineered just like other closed Microsoft specifications (ntfs read/write modules as an example come to mind). This is what the open source community does very well — frustrate the makers of closed specifications. There is, however, some lag time in development.

[I cannot think of a name]

There is a small silver lining in this:

Any machine that WILL boot Linux WON'T boot Windows at all.

Good riddance.

[Cicero]

As long as there continues to be a market for LINUX, I would imagine that the hardward makers would continue to support it, as well as MS.

Possibly some companies—Dell has been mentioned—might not do both. But I would imagine that someone would step in to fill the gap,as long as there was a profit in it.

[American in Israel]

Clearly Microsoft needs to be broken up like Ma Bell, when it practices as a monopoly. It is illegal. But then Obama’s Administration never sees corporate greed as a problem, just a doner.

[enduserindy]

To be clear this would be horrible. That said I bet the LINUX crowd finds a hack, fix, workaround, whatever I bet they break it. And yes I run a dual boot on separate drives.

[SmokingJoe]

“This does stink though. For whatever reason, certain users may NEED to dual boot, and the option should be there.”

The option IS there.
Watch this video on Windows 8 boot process from Microsoft themselves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anxyxlMWCXM

You should know better than trust the tabloid, gutter journalism from the notorious British site “The Register”.

[USNBandit]

I run boot camp and Windows XP on my mac so I can access my work computer with a usb device. I eventually will end up switching to another version of windows for that capability, but it looks like that will stop with Win8.

[SmokingJoe]

“Clearly Microsoft needs to be broken up like Ma Bell, when it practices as a monopoly. It is illegal”

Guess who is using their monopoly to crush rivals right now.
Hint: Its sure is not Microsoft.:
Google ‘rigs’ search results, rivals tell senators

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20109708-93/google-rigs-search-results-rivals-tell-senators/?tag=mncol;1n

But then Obama’s Administration never sees corporate greed as a problem, just a doner

Yeah..that s why Google CEO Eric Schmidt, came out and openly campaigned for the Kenyan communist in 2008, and over 95% of the political contributions of the Google employees went to 0bama and the Democrats.

[3Fingas]

Go with windows 7 for the other OS. It’s a very good OS. I also have a mac that I sometimes boot to windows. I have second pc, which boots both linux and windows. It’s always good to have options.

[Texas Fossil]

System designers?

The problem is the lawyers and the licenses.

I hate the unnecessary complexity of software that this dictates.

I have used some flavor of linux since about 1996. I still like it, even prefer it to Windows of any flavor.

If this is what it takes to keep Microsoft in business, I can do without it.