Simon Hobson <linux@???> writes:
> Rainer Weikusat <rainerweikusat@???> wrote:
>> But "the hardware" didn't "break". Certain vendor-supplied software
>> reportedly ceases to function if certain EFI variables are deleted.
>
> That is the sort of linguistic gymnastics that vendors use to get out
> of accepting responsibility for stuff. I think most people would
> equate with "it used to work", "X happened", "it now doesn't work" as
> being "X broke it". It no longer works, it's broken. Using linguistic
> gymnastics to try and call it something else doesn't change the
> fundamental fact that "it no longer works, therefore it's broken".

That's (AFAIK) a factually accurate description and not 'linguistic
gymnastics' and the final effect of this, namely, perfectly working
hardware is rendered unusable because of unsafe software implementation
practices, is IMHO rather more damning than "the hardware's broken" as
physical things are affected by wear and tear while software isn't.

It also avoids a Daily Mail style "Using Linux can brick your hardware!"
statement. That's not really wrong but nevertheless rather removed from
the actual situation.