Writing an end to the bio of BIOS

**MIG-31** · Dec 30, 2003, 01:35 PM

Intel and Microsoft are gearing up to move toward the first major overhaul of the innermost workings of the personal computer--the boundary where software and hardware meet--during 2004.

The companies will begin promoting a technology specification called EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) as a new system for starting up a PC's hardware before its operating system begins loading, a process that kicks in every time a PC is switched on or restarted.

For full news article: news.com

No_Style · Dec 30, 2003, 05:24 PM

I've heard about this awhile ago, and I was wondering when manufacturers were going to implement this. I hope it gets accepted and works well. (Hopefully there won't be any proprietary compatibility problems with this EFI)

JLP · Dec 30, 2003, 05:28 PM

Yeah I also hope it works well and doesn't prevent other OSes to work or give them troubles.

**MIG-31** · Dec 30, 2003, 05:48 PM

looks to be a very interesting concept,if it works well in testing it should hopefully work better than bios providing there are no major problems.

as new conepts take time to perfect.

PoopyTheJ · Dec 30, 2003, 07:07 PM

Still, some companies might see EFI as a way for Intel and Microsoft to push their own ideas for the future of PC design, McCarron said. There are "some concerns that it's being used to enable features that customers don't want," he said.

Yeah it's called the TCPA/Palladium. I have no desire to have my computer tell me it won't run a piece of software because the writer can't afford to get Microsofts stamp of approval. BIOS works, it's powerful, and right next to the hardware. Just another push to make the computer the Secure Digital medium of choice for the RIAA/MPAA.

**MIG-31** · Dec 30, 2003, 07:14 PM

But may also tie us closer to microsoft,leaving us slightly less choice.

But seeing as there are only a few company's who actually supply the bios for mobos might not make to much difference in the long term.

PoopyTheJ · Dec 30, 2003, 08:03 PM

Right again Johnny!

BWX · Dec 31, 2003, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gaborn415
Just another push to make the computer the Secure Digital medium of choice for the RIAA/MPAA.

Yeah, you got that right. Man, MS is trying to turn our PC's into big spyware/anti-piracy machines. Pretty soon it will be illegal to build your own PC.

PoopyTheJ · Dec 31, 2003, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BWX232
Yeah, you got that right. Man, MS is trying to turn our PC's into big spyware/anti-piracy machines. Pretty soon it will be illegal to build your own PC.

Actually speaking of that Congress was considering a bill brought by Disney/RIAA/MPAA which would make it illegal to build your own computer, illegal to make anything which could theoretically bypass copyright protection etc as part of the tCPA thing I gotta find the link. I'm pretty sure it got voted down but ti's sure to come back under a different name.

BWX · Dec 31, 2003, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gaborn415
Actually speaking of that Congress was considering a bill brought by Disney/RIAA/MPAA which would make it illegal to build your own computer, illegal to make anything which could theoretically bypass copyright protection etc as part of the tCPA thing I gotta find the link. I'm pretty sure it got voted down but ti's sure to come back under a different name.

OMG I was only half joking, but your post doesn't surprise me. Pretty sad really- I bet that law will be passed someday- "for our safety" so Evil hacker terrorists can't infect the internet with viruses or some Bullsh!t-- What a crock.

PoopyTheJ · Dec 31, 2003, 05:30 AM

There's a pretty decent article on Salon about that bill the SSSCA (Security Systems Standards and Certification Act). Now called the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA), would require any device that can "retrieve or access copyrighted works in digital form" to include a federally mandated copy protection system. Read the article here Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA), would require any device that can "retrieve or access copyrighted works in digital form" to include a federally mandated copy protection system.. Also a really good information source here http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html. quote from the FAQ:
The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) is an alliance of Microsoft, Intel, IBM, HP and AMD which promotes a standard for a `more secure' PC. Their definition of `security' is controversial; machines built according to their specification will be more trustworthy from the point of view of software vendors and the content industry, but will be less trustworthy from the point of view of their owners. In effect, the TCG specification will transfer the ultimate control of your PC from you to whoever wrote the software it happens to be running. (Yes, even more so than at present.)

BWX · Dec 31, 2003, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gaborn415
There's a pretty decent article on Salon about that bill the SSSCA (Security Systems Standards and Certification Act). Now called the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA), would require any device that can "retrieve or access copyrighted works in digital form" to include a federally mandated copy protection system. Read the article here Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA), would require any device that can "retrieve or access copyrighted works in digital form" to include a federally mandated copy protection system.. Also a really good information source here http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html. quote from the FAQ:
The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) is an alliance of Microsoft, Intel, IBM, HP and AMD which promotes a standard for a `more secure' PC. Their definition of `security' is controversial; machines built according to their specification will be more trustworthy from the point of view of software vendors and the content industry, but will be less trustworthy from the point of view of their owners. In effect, the TCG specification will transfer the ultimate control of your PC from you to whoever wrote the software it happens to be running. (Yes, even more so than at present.)

Damn that's horrible.

I get this when I click the link.

Not Found
The requested URL /~rja14/tcpa-faq.html. was not found on this server.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apache/1.3.28 Server at www.cl.cam.ac.uk Port 80

PoopyTheJ · Dec 31, 2003, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BWX232
Damn that's horrible.

I get this when I click the link.

Not Found
The requested URL /~rja14/tcpa-faq.html. was not found on this server.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apache/1.3.28 Server at www.cl.cam.ac.uk Port 80

Interesting, well due to the majic of the Google Cache you can read the whole thing or I can send it to you. PM me if you want it and it doesn't come back.

Dec 30, 2003, 01:35 PM	#1
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,854 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	Writing an end to the bio of BIOS Intel and Microsoft are gearing up to move toward the first major overhaul of the innermost workings of the personal computer--the boundary where software and hardware meet--during 2004. The companies will begin promoting a technology specification called EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) as a new system for starting up a PC's hardware before its operating system begins loading, a process that kicks in every time a PC is switched on or restarted. For full news article: news.com __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Dec 30, 2003, 05:24 PM	#2
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	EFI I've heard about this awhile ago, and I was wondering when manufacturers were going to implement this. I hope it gets accepted and works well. (Hopefully there won't be any proprietary compatibility problems with this EFI) __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Dec 30, 2003, 05:28 PM	#3
JLP DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Slovenia Posts: 249 Rep Power: 0	Yeah I also hope it works well and doesn't prevent other OSes to work or give them troubles. __________________ Get Firefox! Get Thunderbird!

Dec 30, 2003, 05:48 PM	Thread Starter #4
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,854 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	looks to be a very interesting concept,if it works well in testing it should hopefully work better than bios providing there are no major problems. as new conepts take time to perfect. __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Dec 30, 2003, 07:07 PM	#5
PoopyTheJ DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,588 Rep Power: 66	Still, some companies might see EFI as a way for Intel and Microsoft to push their own ideas for the future of PC design, McCarron said. There are "some concerns that it's being used to enable features that customers don't want," he said. Yeah it's called the TCPA/Palladium. I have no desire to have my computer tell me it won't run a piece of software because the writer can't afford to get Microsofts stamp of approval. BIOS works, it's powerful, and right next to the hardware. Just another push to make the computer the Secure Digital medium of choice for the RIAA/MPAA. __________________ [COLOR=Blue]“Alright boys, let’s start her up and see why she doesn’t work.” - John Fritz "I aim to misbehave" Malcolm Reynolds ATI Catalyst Beta Tester[/COLOR]

Dec 30, 2003, 07:14 PM	Thread Starter #6
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,854 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	But may also tie us closer to microsoft,leaving us slightly less choice. But seeing as there are only a few company's who actually supply the bios for mobos might not make to much difference in the long term. __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Dec 30, 2003, 08:03 PM	#7
PoopyTheJ DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,588 Rep Power: 66	Right again Johnny! __________________ [COLOR=Blue]“Alright boys, let’s start her up and see why she doesn’t work.” - John Fritz "I aim to misbehave" Malcolm Reynolds ATI Catalyst Beta Tester[/COLOR]

Dec 31, 2003, 05:30 AM	#11
PoopyTheJ DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,588 Rep Power: 66	There's a pretty decent article on Salon about that bill the SSSCA (Security Systems Standards and Certification Act). Now called the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA), would require any device that can "retrieve or access copyrighted works in digital form" to include a federally mandated copy protection system. Read the article here Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA), would require any device that can "retrieve or access copyrighted works in digital form" to include a federally mandated copy protection system.. Also a really good information source here http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html. quote from the FAQ: The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) is an alliance of Microsoft, Intel, IBM, HP and AMD which promotes a standard for a `more secure' PC. Their definition of `security' is controversial; machines built according to their specification will be more trustworthy from the point of view of software vendors and the content industry, but will be less trustworthy from the point of view of their owners. In effect, the TCG specification will transfer the ultimate control of your PC from you to whoever wrote the software it happens to be running. (Yes, even more so than at present.) __________________ [COLOR=Blue]“Alright boys, let’s start her up and see why she doesn’t work.” - John Fritz "I aim to misbehave" Malcolm Reynolds ATI Catalyst Beta Tester[/COLOR] Last edited by PoopyTheJ; Dec 31, 2003 at 05:36 AM.