Another attemped power grab by Microsoft

[Ian.MacAllan]

[reasonable objection (or maybe rant)]
For some years now the Microsoft Corporation, under the pretext of trying to prevent copyright violations, has (in my opinion at least) been grabbing more and more control over how "personal" computers can be used. Heretofore their efforts' main effect has been to complicate the lives of their customers by "copy protection" and "activation" schemes, but now they appear to be attempting to control what software can be loaded onto OUR computers. The point of their "secure boot" initiative is to give Microsoft control over what software can be loaded into and then be executed by a PC.

The Free Software Foundation has posted a description of this attack upon OUR rights to use OUR property and of ways to counter it at <http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/statement>. See also <http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20111017#qa>.

I'm not challenging their right to determine how their customers may use MS software, but this attempt to control how I may use my hardware makes me livid.
[/reasonable objection (or maybe rant)]

If it is not clear to you how this information applies to Xmarks, consider how restricting personal computers to the use of Microsoft software only, which I at least believe to be the intent of Microsoft's "secure boot" initiative, would restrict access to the Internet. Consider also the social consequences of forcing Microsoft license fees into the budgets of the schools, libraries, and non-profit public benefactors who presently depend on free software.

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[brewerpaul]

It is called a PC....personal computer for a reason. Microsoft is why I have used Linux since 1998. Open source assures your pc is yours.

[CDNSushi]

Microsoft is one big reason why I've been playing with alternatives for years! Mac, (H)ac, and all varieties of *nix have been very viable options for years. I had Ubuntu on several of my machines for some time.

Now, I run OS X.7 on 3 of my 5 machines. 1 is on Win7 and the netbook used be Ubuntu, now switched to WinXP due to driver necessity (that's actually relative but I just don't have the Sk!llZ to roll my own) for my 3G dongle.

There are plenty of M$ alternatives. I do however have to use MS Office due to my freelancing work. OpenOffice and LibreOffice are CLOSE but juuuust don't quite cut it.

[seanachie]

I am going to play devils advocate here, in as polite a fashion as possible (and by the way I am writing this on an iMac) I think that this is another thing that people who want to attribute sinister motives to Microsoft are going to continue to do so. As a computer hobbyist and also someone who works in IT I can see a lot of benefit. Malware is an enormous problem and I hate having to deal with users who don't really care or act smartly despite whatever level of training provided. Botnets are not a small issue and having thousand of zombie machines running windows is not a good thing. I also imagine that this will prevent bootleg copies of the OS to load and I applaud that.

Now lets also be fair about Macs, and yes I do own one. I can buy a legal copy of Mac Lion and I can not load it legally on anything other than Apple hardware. In fact Apple will and has come after people for that. Does anyone remember Power Computing? They made Mac clones until Jobs returned and clones were killed.

Yes, if you choose to view Microsoft as the evil empire there is little I can say that will change your mind. For Linux fans and Unix who can recite grep command line arguments in your sleep my hat is off to you. However for the average end user, even with a GUI, the OS is often to complex and they can not use the apps they want. Driver installation, for me, has been horrific at times.

So let us presume the good, and hope nothing nefarious is afoot. And if truth be told this would create a huge black eye in the media if it really happened. There are always places that sell bare bones machines as well and you can install your own HD.

[zirrow]

... Consider also the social consequences of forcing Microsoft license fees into the budgets of the schools, libraries, and non-profit public benefactors who presently depend on free software..

non-profit organizations pay a drastically reduced licencing fee for their software. For instance, a community action group in my area pays $6 for a Windows 7 Professional license ($140 for a regular Joe, and that's an OEM license). The same holds true for various schools and churches.


"This could be a feature deserving of the name, as long as the user is able to authorize the programs she wants to use, so she can run free software written and modified by herself or people she trusts. However, we are concerned that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers will implement these boot restrictions in a way that will prevent users from booting anything other than Windows."

This sounds like a bit of paranoia peeking through.


This happens all the time. People complain that they can't click on every ad claiming it will make them a millionaire, without doing anything more than clicking their left mouse button, without winding up with some sort of malware; obviously, the problem is that Microsoft releases insecure software . Microsoft responded with UAC in Windows Vista and people complained that it was too intrusive, so they just click "yes" no matter what software is trying to run. By all means, don't use a computer or don't use Microsoft products. The problem is that every PC user on the planet has different needs and expects their software to provide them with all that is necessary right there on the spot. Even CDNSushi, while "playing with alternatives for years," admits to using their evil products, because though it has faults, it is the only product out there that can provide a [non-necessary] service he feels the need to entertain himself with.

My television doesn't always play the programs that I'd like to see, but I don't throw a fit about Sony or DirectTV over the matter. It's a product, you are perfectly free to not use it, find an alternative, or build something better. By all means, Linux please stop being so humble and go ahead and lift this oppression from society.

[CDNSushi]

Even CDNSushi, while "playing with alternatives for years," admits to using their evil products, because though it has faults, it is the only product out there that can provide a [non-necessary] service

Spot-on comment. I mean... Yeah, I COULD choose to boycott MS but in the end, it would be the same as any other product boycott I've ever seen in the world (and the main reason why I just don't believe in them) is because it won't cause anything to change, and ultimately it's not the company that gets inconvenienced the most... It's ME. and I would just prefer to bite the bullet and NOT be the author of my own self-imposed misery.

[zirrow]

Spot-on comment. I mean... Yeah, I COULD choose to boycott MS but in the end, it would be the same as any other product boycott I've ever seen in the world (and the main reason why I just don't believe in them) is because it won't cause anything to change, and ultimately it's not the company that gets inconvenienced the most... It's ME. and I would just prefer to bite the bullet and NOT be the author of my own self-imposed misery.

Exactly! There is a need out there that Microsoft has created a solution to, but so often there are people that are more than willing to jump on the blame large corporations that make lots of money bandwagon.

[NorCalPiper]

Don't be fooled. I worked for apple for 12 years, so I speak from extreme knowledge on this. Apple is probably the WORST at software restriction on all their devices. Even hardware. Ever heard of "Jailbreaking" related to any other products other than Apple?

Face it-The ignorant bliss of the power of the personal computer is over and ALL companies are honing their control reins to direct the masses.....Just how it is.

[Joshua]

Don't be fooled. I worked for apple for 12 years, so I speak from extreme knowledge on this. Apple is probably the WORST at software restriction on all their devices. Even hardware. Ever heard of "Jailbreaking" related to any other products other than Apple?

You mean like the hacked firmware that I was loading on my blackberry and winmo phones in 2007, or my currently rooted android phone, or my psp that has been hacked to run the MAME arcade emulator? My dreamcast from 2000 that ran a Linux Web server? Jail breaking is nothing new, just a new name for it.

Reverse engineering to add functionality and just for the cool factor will always exist. It's fun to use things for purposes other than intended, more so if you are told you can't.

To the op - I am a gpl guy. But, in addition to the 4-5 Linux boxes and appliances in my home I also have some closed machines. Professionally, I manage client security (encryption, antivirus, local firewall, data forensics) for some 5300 windows machines. Frankly, I welcome additional security from Microsoft (especially their boot routine, as win7 is still quite vulnerable to local SAM attacks, something that has been around since NT 4).

[Chirs]

it is the only product out there that can provide a [non-necessary] service he feels the need to entertain himself with.

Oh, I do wish it were a non-necessary service. That would be awesome from my perspective.

I've heard so many times "You don't have to use them, you know" and the answer is "Do you really imagine that anyone could fully participate in this culture without using computers?" (The usual response "No one is forcing you to participate" is just foolish.) This may be a factor in this trend: people feel coerced but are unable to articulate how and why. As such they lash out at "the usual suspects" and Microsoft is commonly at the top of that list in spite of Apple's practices which are often much worse. If you really want to go after someone who is having an unfortunate impact on all of us, go after Google.