Coreboot: the view from the FSF Denver, CO 2008-04-04 Ward - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Coreboot: the view from the FSF Denver, CO 2008-04-04 Ward - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Coreboot: the view from the FSF Denver, CO 2008-04-04 Ward Vandewege Free Software Foundation Senior Systems Administrator What does the FSF want? What does the FSF want? free software four freedoms

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Coreboot: the view from the FSF

Denver, CO 2008-04-04

Ward Vandewege Free Software Foundation Senior Systems Administrator

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What does the FSF want?

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What does the FSF want? free software

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four freedoms

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SLIDE 5 http://flickr.com/photos/elmada/1730037734/
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  • h, wait
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The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).

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The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1).

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The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).

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The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3).

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1984

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SLIDE 12 http://flickr.com/photos/pnoeric/1589796934/
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2008

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possible to run a computer with 100% free software...

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... almost

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“microcode”

http://flickr.com/photos/jemimus/87080221/
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SLIDE 20 static const u32 tg3FwText[(TG3_FW_TEXT_LEN / sizeof(u32)) + 1] = { 0x00000000, 0x10000003, 0x00000000, 0x0000000d, 0x0000000d, 0x3c1d0800, 0x37bd3ffc, 0x03a0f021, 0x3c100800, 0x26100000, 0x0e000018, 0x00000000, 0x0000000d, 0x3c1d0800, 0x37bd3ffc, 0x03a0f021, 0x3c100800, 0x26100034, 0x0e00021c, 0x00000000, 0x0000000d, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x27bdffe0, 0x3c1cc000, 0xafbf0018, 0xaf80680c, 0x0e00004c, 0x241b2105, 0x97850000, 0x97870002, 0x9782002c, 0x9783002e, 0x3c040800, 0x248409c0, 0xafa00014, 0x00021400, 0x00621825, 0x00052c00, 0xafa30010, 0x8f860010, 0x00e52825, 0x0e000060, 0x24070102, 0x3c02ac00, 0x34420100, 0x3c03ac01, 0x34630100, 0xaf820490, 0x3c02ffff, 0xaf820494, 0xaf830498, 0xaf82049c, 0x24020001, 0xaf825ce0, 0x0e00003f, 0xaf825d00, 0x0e000140, 0x00000000, 0x8fbf0018, 0x03e00008, 0x27bd0020, 0x2402ffff, 0xaf825404, 0x8f835400, ... the Linux kernel: drivers/net/tg3.c

“binary blobs”

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legacy BIOS

http://flickr.com/photos/ivi/100203940/
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this proprietary low-level software imposes restrictions

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can provide a vehicle for DRM, the ultimate anti-freedom technology

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with DRM, free software is impossible

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What does the FSF want? free software + hardware free from restrictions

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The road to hardware free from restrictions:

how hardware vendors can help the free software community

Justin Baugh Ward Vandewege

February 2007

http://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/how_hardware_vendors_can_help.html

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  • 1. free software drivers
  • 2. proprietary BIOS issues
  • 3. “Microsoft tax”
  • 4. Digital Restrictions Management
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  • 5. a free BIOS
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3-pronged strategy

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advocacy + awareness 3-pronged strategy:

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campaign for a free BIOS

http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/free-bios.html

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... You can also help our campaign by writing to manufacturers such as Intel, saying they ought to cooperate with a fully free BIOS. Calm but strong disapproval, coupled with stating an intention to take action accordingly, is more effective than venting rage. ...

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SLIDE 33 http://flickr.com/photos/jenns-pics/104372137/

a response from Intel:

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Intel: Writing BIOS code is not like writing an OS device driver. Chipset specifications can vary not just between chipset models, but between steppings of the same chipset. Problems in chipset hardware and problems in BIOS code are hard to distinguish without specific hardware

  • instrumentation. End user BIOS replacement with a third- party BIOS

(whether free or not) on a commercial motherboard is not allowed by nearly all hardware vendors because of the potential for BIOS viruses and the risk of rendering the hardware useless through ill-advised

  • modifications. For example, a laptop battery could explode if

incorrect power management algorithms were applied.

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FUD

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Intel: BIOS is a part of the reliability and performance promise of the

  • hardware. Chipset specifications at the

level being discussed are commonly considered proprietary by all silicon vendors, not just Intel.

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FALSE

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Intel: The open source firmware work that Intel *is* sponsoring could lead to a solution where proprietary low-level chipset initialization code from silicon vendors is made compatible with

  • pen source higher-level platform

initialization and pre-boot

  • management. If you are

interested, we invite you to participate at www.tianocore.org.

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Introducing the Intel Platform Innovation Framework for the Extensible Firmware Interface

http://www.deviceforge.com/articles/AT8747644820.html
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SLIDE 40 http://www.deviceforge.com/articles/AT8747644820.html
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smoke and mirrors

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SLIDE 42 http://flickr.com/photos/jenns-pics/104372137/

3-pronged strategy:

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purchasing policy

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upgrading to coreboot

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10 machines running coreboot * servers with FILO * servers with LAB * diskless workstations with etherboot

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T yan s2881 T yan s2882 Gigabyte m57sli-s4

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6 potential conversions: T yan s2891 T yan b3992 PC Engines alix.2c3

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26 legacy machines

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24% coreboot now

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goal: 100%

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3-pronged strategy: vendors

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SLIDE 52 http://flickr.com/photos/sargant/2087247190/
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FSF endorsement

http://flickr.com/photos/bip/21600807/
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servers

nServ A236 supermicro H8DMR http://siliconmechanics.com
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servers

2008-04-03: "We will commit to offering coreboot preinstallation on the A236 with a specific set of hardware and software. In the future, we may expand the program to additional platforms based on customer interest. We will include a message about coreboot support on the platform page in the next few days with instructions to contact sales for additional information."

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desktop and laptop...

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Dell HP Sun MSI Everex ...

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Artec Group

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design shop in Estonia wants to build a “deluxe-olpc”

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specs?

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price point?

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should the FSF sell motherboards/machines with coreboot preinstalled?