ASUS LINUX+Free BIOS support

[Zygomorphic]

Hello all ROG users and @asus people!

In light of Microsoft's actions towards the "Secure Boot" technology integrated
into the UEFI of Windows 8 certified computers, the LINUX community is working
on trying to find methods of creating signed open-source boot-loaders.
Considering that it was ASUS who started off the netbook craze (remember that
lol :p) with LINUX as the operating system, might it not be time to consider
supporting officially a LINUX distro on at least a few different computer lines?
There are companies presently selling systems with LINUX pre-installed and
supported, but the computers are universally underpowered and/or low quality.
ASUS makes quality hardware as we know, and so I would like to see quality
LINUX-based computers in the future.

Even more, the Free Software Foundation is advocating for a "Free BIOS" and I
think that this might be a potential market for ASUS to consider. Offer a
high-quality laptop that can run with a GPL'd BIOS, and then officially sanction
a completely LINUX distro on it. You might be able to gain some recommendations
with the Free Software Foundation/Community over this, which would be awesome!
There would then be a real quality alternative to Microsoft Windows-based PCs.

While I am well aware that the potential market for this is small, it might be
enough to be profitable if ASUS manages to jump the gun and take over that
market entirely, before any of the potentially major contenders enter this
market. I am a strong LINUX fan, so I would like to see LINUX become mainstream
on the desktop, and if quality hardware vendors push, it could happen.

I am positive that Microsoft would not certify any computer that allowed the
user to have access to the BIOS source code, since that would allow people to
install alternative operating systems. While we can presently disable the
"Secure Boot" by configuring the settings in the BIOS, we should all remember
that initially Microsoft was going to prevent any platform from being
able to install LINUX, and only backed down after several LINUX vendors
threatened a lawsuit. Their certified ARM systems still cannot install
alternative operating systems, even after Microsoft reversed the decision on the
x86 platform.

As a result of the limited market, I would recommend potentially creating
systems that have the ability to run with either the Microsoft-signed "Secure
Boot" and are sold with Windows, and then versions with the GPL'd "Free BIOS"
running a completely free LINUX distro. The FSF recommends the Trisquel (Ubuntu
derivative) distro for new users, which is something that ASUS should take into
consideration.

Thanks, and just as a note, I am not a member of the FSF, nor affiliated with
them in any way. Just a LINUX user worried about the tactics that Microsoft is
using to force other operating systems out of the market.

[Zygomorphic]

Myk SilentShadow wrote:
:eek: isn't security supposed to be a good thing?

Yes, but when you make it well-nigh impossible to install the nVidia LINUX drivers, that's a bit of an issue. Linus Torvaalds talked about this and said that the OS should allow a standard user (not root) to do standard things: install printers, connect to networks, etc. Not talking about corporate/enterprise, to be sure, but for a home user.

@DC, thanks for the support, I do not remember networking on 95...I was too young. 😛 The only alternative distro would be Debian (simply due to the number of packages). OpenSUSE runs great "out-of-the-box" and could be configured to be even better, I am sure. ASUS could at least put together a package that they pre-install that sets up keyboard shortcuts in the desktop environment to mimic the ATK package for Windows. In fact, I know that I can do that myself, should I want to...just got to Google for some more info on customizing KDE.

[esarhaddon]

I am just getting started with Linux after 25 years. I do see a Linux folder on the AASUS MoBo install disk. very little there and I have no idea what the files are for or how to apply them. I wanted to say after much time searching the web for setting up a bootable drive for Linux, I ran across 'RUFUS' which makes it quite easy for a USB drive from an ISO and it can make a UEFI drive out of it. It is a quick and dirty .exe and doesn't even have to be installed. I will be seeing if I can cheat it by trying it on a standard drive on my B.U. machine!

[Gorman]

Zygomorphic wrote:
I think there are other distros, principally OpenSUSE and/or another Debian derivative. Fedora's security is too high, and Ubuntu has the phone-home policy (and is often buggy now). Formerly, I would have agreed with you, but now...

But if there was going to be a distro that ASUS supported on RoG, it would definitely be Ubuntu.

There's no way it would be OpenSUSE or Fedora.

[DaemonCantor]

Zygomorphic wrote:
I think there are other distros, principally OpenSUSE and/or another Debian derivative. Fedora's security is too high, and Ubuntu has the phone-home policy (and is often buggy now). Formerly, I would have agreed with you, but now...

Yes and I too would support an OpenSUSE or the actual SUSE Enterprise versions over Ubuntu and a few others simply because of two reason,
1) It has a very long History that dates all the way back to 1992( originally called SLS-Software Linux System by P. MacDonald and P. Volkerding (Slackware)).
2) It's now Owned and Supported by Novell which also OWNS the Patents and Rights to UNIX. Plus you have Linus Torvalds endorsement of SuSE as well as a User of.

Who better to do a good Distro than the Grandfather of Networking ( most of you kids don't even remember trying to get a Network running on Windows 95!). Novell has a lot more History and Knowledge than just about any Linux version out there with the exceptions of BSD, and GNU(which is now dead thanks to Apple).

MYK yes and No...Security is great but theirs is a point of too much that it interferes with everything...example Microshaft and their DRM B.S. or Ubuntu's Coping of Adobe and Microsoft's Security systems along with Apples Old Software Distribution System (Conical).

[chrsplmr]

Dc .. your talents and skills are wasted in your cellar brother .. but Im sure glad your here to take
'me' to school ... boggles the mind .. but Im trying to keep up ..

No offense to others in the thread .. just WOW .. thanks. very enlightening.c.

[Myk_SilentShado]

Ahh, so it's the security policies which you speak of...rat bastages for doing that! I really should get back into Linux, I really miss it and I feel so out of touch with what has been going on in the Linux world...forgive me my brothers for I have sinned and I must repent my wicked ways 😛

[Zygomorphic]

Myk SilentShadow wrote:
Ahh, so it's the security policies which you speak of...rat bastages for doing that! I really should get back into Linux, I really miss it and I feel so out of touch with what has been going on in the Linux world...forgive me my brothers for I have sinned and I must repent my wicked ways 😛

To do penance, thou must do ten "Hail Linus's" and download and install one distro... 😄

[Myk_SilentShado]

Zygomorphic wrote:
To do penance, thou must do ten "Hail Linus's" and download and install one distro... 😄

Hahaha!!!! I most certainly shall do mate 😛

@DC yup, I was a whole 13 years of age when Win95 came about and I had no idea what networking was back then...my first exposure to any form of Networking was setting up my Family's Dialup Net Connection in Win98 lol

[DaemonCantor]

See MYK Old Codgers like me are needed for something....:p Hell I remember using Key Punch machines to Program back in 1973....:cool::p;)

[Zygomorphic]

DaemonCantor wrote:
See MYK Old Codgers like me are needed for something....:p Hell I remember using Key Punch machines to Program back in 1973....:cool::p;)

I have one of those punchcards...:cool: