Hendrik Boom <hendrik@???> wrote:

> How *do* we deal with secure boot? I am terrified of buying a new
> machine because I'm afraid I won't get to install anything on it
> wxcept for an OS from one of the big companies that have
> sweetheart deals with Microsoft.

Well (under UK law at least, other EU countries should have something equivalent, dunno about other places ...) you mention when buying it that you intend to install (say) Devuan Linux. If it can't run it, and the vendor didn't warn you at time of purchase, then you can insist that they : repair it, replace it, or refund it.
That's basic consumer protection legislation, required by EU directive and implemented by national laws in each EU country.

The new result is that you'll probably have to send it back - but then the seller has an opened & returned product and loses out. It is our duty to do this and make it a cost to sell "defective" products.



Rowland Penny <rpenny241155@???> wrote:

> I don't think that option will go away, if it did, then the EU would probably heavily fine which ever motherboard maker that does remove the option, then force them to put it back.

*eventually*
Note how long it took them to deal with the Internet Exploder and Media Player problems - the sanctions when they eventually came in were ineffective (and just confusing to users) as things had already moved on.

MS could very easily "require" manufacturers to lock stuff down through dodgy "marketing incentives". By the time the EU got round to fixing things, the situation could very well have moved round to only "approved" Linux was usable on most hardware.
We already have a signed Grub, it's only one more step for the signed grub to only boot a signed kernel, ...