Legacy Free Standard (From who else - MS!)

Cyber Source peter at thecybersource.com
Thu Jan 17 11:03:01 EST 2002


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<DIV><SPAN class=492385915-17012002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I 
think this is the first step towards truly having hardware specific software (or 
vice versa), winmodems were probably the embryo of that idea/movement. Linmodems 
have done somewhat of a workaround for that curve. I imagine that something 
similar will be done, probably (hopefully) with just OS specific BIOS 
chips!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma 
  size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> owner-nflug at nflug.org 
  [mailto:owner-nflug at nflug.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Wechter, Ron<BR><B>Sent:</B> 
  Thursday, January 17, 2002 10:08 AM<BR><B>To:</B> 
  'nflug at nflug.org'<BR><B>Subject:</B> Legacy Free Standard (From who else - 
  MS!)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002>All,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=156345414-17012002>This is a major 
  cry for help.&nbsp; I recently purchased the Toshiba 5005-S504 Laptop - This 
  was one of the only machines (at the time) that had 512MB RAM, 15.1" screen, 
  DVD, and a GeFroce2Go graphics card.&nbsp; I noticed when I first had the 
  laptop there was not a standard BIOS boot screen - There were a few icons that 
  came up so I could boot over network (etc), but no option to go to BIOS.&nbsp; 
  </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=156345414-17012002>Heres where it 
  gets good....</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=156345414-17012002>I called Tech 
  support...After about 3 hours of arguing and escalating the issue all the way 
  up to the call center manager (It pays to have worked in a call center [:( did 
  I admit that :) ]).&nbsp; The manager stated (and this was confirmed with 
  other websites on the internet) that Toshiba, in order to use the Windows 
  LOGO, has to follow the standards put forth by Microsoft.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=156345414-17012002><A 
  href="http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/platform/PCdesign/LR/Lf.asp">http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/platform/PCdesign/LR/Lf.asp</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=156345414-17012002>Here it is in 
  short -- Microsoft cannot add any new softwares into Windowsitself (in fear of 
  being called a Monopoly) but now they are taking out the "Legacy devices" 
  (floppy dirves, PS/2 ports, LPT ports -- The hardware that works!) to force 
  users to have to use Windows 2000/XP.&nbsp; So, instead of killing the 
  alligators, they are emptying the swamp.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV><FONT size=+0><SPAN 
  class=156345414-17012002>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
  <HR>
  </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=156345414-17012002><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here is my 
  question - According to these new standards, the Operating system has to 
  "setup" the hardware and tell the BIOS what to set to which resources.&nbsp; 
  Does this put Linux "out to dry".&nbsp; Is there any projects being worked on 
  now to support this new hardware standard being forced by MS?&nbsp; If not 
  this may result in EITHER (1) making it hard to find hardware to run with 
  linux (in the future) or (2) linux not finding its way into the homes of many 
  many families.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=156345414-17012002><FONT face=Arial 
  size=2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=156345414-17012002><FONT face=Arial size=2>What 
  now?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=156345414-17012002><FONT face=Arial 
  size=2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=156345414-17012002><FONT face=Arial 
  size=2>Sincerely,</FONT></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></FONT>
  <P><B><FONT face="Times New Roman">Ronald K. Wechter</FONT></B><BR><I><FONT 
  face="Times New Roman" size=2>NRD Buffalo Assistant Systems 
  Administrator</FONT><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>NRD Buffalo 
  Webmaster</FONT></I><BR><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2>Navy Recruiting 
  Department Buffalo</FONT><BR><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2>(716) 
  551-4901</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></P>
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