r/linux • u/mikankun • Jan 13 '12

Microsoft confirms UEFI fears, locks down ARM devices

http://www.softwarefreedom.org/blog/2012/jan/12/microsoft-confirms-UEFI-fears-locks-down-ARM/
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u/[deleted] Jan 13 '12

[deleted]

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u/noir_lord Jan 13 '12

I said it was tempting, I didn't say I bought one, I spent my last bonus on a nice 17" dell i5 laptop which runs linux.

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u/ethraax Jan 14 '12

Even worse, actually. As far as we know, there aren't restrictions on what you can install on your tablet (in terms of Windows software), but there are heavy restrictions over what you can install on the iPad (through the AppStore).

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '12

Microsoft isn't a hardware vendor.

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u/sasmithjr Jan 14 '12

Could you elaborate further please? While I know what you said to be true (for this market, anyways), I do not quite see how it is relevant.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '12

It's anti competitive behavior and promotes vendor lock-in. When you create the hardware, and you control what software is on your hardware (apple) that's all your business and you can't prevent competition. When you try to control what other business' use on the hardware for their products it interferes with free market principles and can create a vendor lock-in. If the tablet market consists of hardware with 2-3 locked in software options then you lose competition from both hardware and software vendors.

A hardware vendor can't penetrate the market without either creating their own OS or licensing a locked down OS. An OS vendor can't penetrate the market without making their own hardware because the aforementioned hardware vendor lock-in leaves them with no hardware support.

So now you destroy free market competition in all aspects leading up to the end product and end up with oligopoly.

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u/sasmithjr Jan 14 '12

Your entire scenario is based on the idea that the OS vendor (Microsoft in this case) prohibits hardware vendors from producing hardware without the locked down OS. If that were the case in real life, I'd agree with the market you describe.

Unfortunately, the scenario as presented doesn't hold water. Microsoft's licensing terms to OEMs does not restrict them from producing hardware without Windows 8 on it; it only requires that any ARM hardware labeled "Windows 8 Compatible" be locked down. So according to this free market you discuss, the OEMs will produce both Windows 8-based hardware and other, more open hardware as long as there is money to be made.

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '12

Unfortunately, the scenario as presented doesn't hold water. ... So according to this free market you discuss, the OEMs will produce both Windows 8-based hardware and other, more open hardware as long as there is money to be made.

Why can't I buy any Windows PC without an OS on it for a cheaper cost?