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I believe this is a bit misleading...<br>
<br>
It is not Verisign, but Microsoft, who are trying to lock computer
hardware to their OS. Microsoft is trying to persuade the vendors,
that they must modify the PCs boot loader to allow only an OS that
has boot loader signed by Microsoft to load, and that boot loader
will presumably load Windows 8 only.<br>
<br>
This has been the reason of much debate recently and so far it seems
the current requirement of Microsoft is for vendors to lock-in only
non-desktop computers, such as tablets. If the vendor wants Windows
8 on their tablet, it must not be able to load another OS. For the
desktop, because of existing Windows versions that apparently do not
support this "secure boot" technology, this restriction is optional.
You will be able to switch it on or off in the BIOS.<br>
<br>
Yes, this would mean computers with Windows will not be sold in
embargoed countries, but I wonder how Windows gets there today... <br>
<br>
None of this will impact Linux or other OS running on "PCs". And it
is not really anything to involve Verisign with.<br>
<br>
If someone has to be blamed for this development, that is Microsoft.
They will of course claim it is for your own protection :)<br>
<br>
Daniel<br>
<br>
On 07.06.12 09:32, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4FD04AE9.8050808@ciroap.org" type="cite">
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There's been much disquiet on this list about the power that
Verisign has to delete domains from the Internet at the whim of US
authorities.<br>
<br>
Potentially even more frightening, they will soon be able to
decide what operating system you may run on your computer. PCs
that are certified for use with Windows 8 will, by default, refuse
to run any operating system that is not digitally signed by a
Verisign-issued certificate. Even worse, the only certificates
that hardware and device manufacturers will recognise by default
are Microsoft's.<br>
<br>
This leads to the absurd situation that even commercial vendors of
Linux, such as Red Hat, will be paying Verisign to attach a
digital signature from Microsoft's key-signing root to their
versions of Linux - otherwise they simply won't run at all.<br>
<br>
If that wasn't outrageous enough, consider the geopolitical
implications of this. By virtue of US sanctions, Verisign will
not permit anyone from Cuba, Iran, Syria etc. to develop an
operating system (or even to distribute a version of Linux that
they compile from source) for users of Windows 8 certified
computers.<br>
<br>
Why should it stop there? A US court order might be obtained
against Verisign to prevent it from certifying China's Red Flag
Linux, or Russia's ALT Linux. Billions of consumers could be
forced into using older or second-rate computers, or buying
Microsoft's operating system, because home-grown operating systems
won't run.<br>
<br>
Will the IGC take a stand against this?<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="color:black">Dr
Jeremy Malcolm<br>
Senior Policy Officer</span></b><br>
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Consumers
International</span><br>
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:gray">Kuala Lumpur Office
for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East<br>
Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia<br>
Tel: +60 3 7726 1599</span></p>
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