Forgive me. I have been flamed before because of my posts on this mailing list, but a comment on newer PC's and their non-compatibility with non-Microsoft software led me to risk this posting. I think that ultimately, EFF or the GNU folks will need to pursue lobbying for legislation to prevent hardware companies from imposing restrictions upon software installs by owners of PC hardware. Cheers, and I hope this doesn't offend you guys. I enjoy lurking.
Lurker post: On another forum, a discussion of hardware compatibility to installations of Free Software ensued, originally in reference to installing Linux on Macbook Pros. When Apple converted their hardware paradigm from the Power PC to Intel, there was concern at the corporate level that OSX might be installed on non-Apple hardware, and that non-Apple system software might be installed on Macs. So for about a year and a half, from late 2006 to early 2008, the TPM chip was incorporated into the Apple motherboards. It prevented installation of non-Apple blessed software, i.e., unlicensed Windows - collaterally damaged were Linux and other non-Apple OS's. The machines were only produced for about 18 months. Except for those particular machines, one can still install Linux on Macs. The converse, installing OSX on PC hardware, is an alive-and-well hacker cult - hence, the "hackintosh". A quote from my forum response: The newer generations of TPM chips are still around and are incorporated into some PC's - some can apparently be disabled in firmware, some not. I have no real proof about Microsoft's intent or on shake-hands agreements with PC hardware companies, but, along with Secure Boot, it looks like future PC hardware could be made to be difficult for Linux installations. I guess we'll see eventually, and hopefully such restrictions placed upon PC owners' abilities to control the software on their own machines will be legally prohibited. -- Move from rim to hub; know the wheel. - G. Buddha
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