Red Hat Will Pay Microsoft To Get Past UEFI Restrictions 809
ToriaUru writes "Fedora is going to pay Microsoft to let them distribute a PC operating system. Microsoft is about to move from effectively owning the PC hardware platform to literally owning it. Once Windows 8 is released, hardware manufacturers will be forced to ship machines that refuse to run any software that is not explicitly approved by Microsoft — and that includes competing operating systems like Linux. Technically Fedora didn't have to go down this path. But, as this article explains, they are between a rock and a hard place: if they didn't pay Microsoft to let them onto the PC platform, they would have to explain to their potential users how to mess with firmware settings just to install the OS. How long before circumventing the secure boot mechanism is considered a DMCA violation and a felony?" Note that the author says this is likely, but that the entire plan is not yet "set in stone."
Re:"Literally" (Score:5, Funny)
I literally flew off my chair, steam coming out of my ears, when I read this!
Re:PCs turning into a closed platform... (Score:2, Funny)
Microsoft proposes draconian DRM schemes.
Apple implements them.
Re:WRONG!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Microsoft Pledges to Sell More Macs for Apple (Score:5, Funny)
>Overwhelmingly, if you wanted to look like you knew why-the-fuck you ought to be on stage, in front of 8,000 people, you went Mac.
Think Different.
Re:Why not hardware manufacturers? (Score:4, Funny)
I'm not sure I can tell which end that is anymore...
Re:Why not hardware manufacturers? (Score:5, Funny)
But why? StrongARM processors are SOOO last decade. Besides, Windows 8 for ARM probably won't run on anything earlier than ARMv7 architecture.
Re:Microsoft Pledges to Sell More Macs for Apple (Score:5, Funny)
Objections noted. Now either setup these iPads or we'll have to get somebody else.
Re:Why not hardware manufacturers? (Score:5, Funny)