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Thread: Coreboot preinstalled?

  1. #1
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    May 2007
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    Coreboot preinstalled?

    Having coreboot preinstalled on system76 machined would be cool. What would be necessary to make this happen? It would certainly gain a lot of publicity. Maybe push dell to finally do something as well?
    http://www.ideastorm.com/article/sho...oprietary_BIOS

  2. #2
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    Sep 2006
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    Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    Coreboot (previously LinuxBIOS) is something that our R&D department keeps an eye on. At some point in the future we may use it. However, there is a lot of testing that needs to be done before we could adopt it as a BIOS replacement.

    Unfortunately, it is still a necessity for some of our customers to dual-boot Windows so they can run various industry-specific applications and play certain games. Motherboard manufacturers send down BIOS updates fairly frequently to patch or enhance various Windows-related functionalities. So, we are leery of hampering our customers freedom to use our machines the way *they* need to use them.

    Coreboot is definitely a great idea, though, and we will keep an eye on it.
    To err is human, to forgive is very ... dog-like.

    Thomas Aaron
    FetchMasters, LLC

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    52

    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    It would be nice if System76 machines worked with coreboot, even if it wasn't pre-installed.
    Then those who wanted coreboot could flash with that.

  4. #4
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    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    Quote Originally Posted by thomasaaron View Post
    Coreboot (previously LinuxBIOS) is something that our R&D department keeps an eye on. At some point in the future we may use it. However, there is a lot of testing that needs to be done before we could adopt it as a BIOS replacement.

    Unfortunately, it is still a necessity for some of our customers to dual-boot Windows so they can run various industry-specific applications and play certain games. Motherboard manufacturers send down BIOS updates fairly frequently to patch or enhance various Windows-related functionalities. So, we are leery of hampering our customers freedom to use our machines the way *they* need to use them.

    Coreboot is definitely a great idea, though, and we will keep an eye on it.
    Thanks for the reply! As for dual-booting windows, coreboot supports windows. Is there anything that system76 can do to move progress along with making coreboot on system76 machines a reality? If you did, and made it known, i'm sure a *lot* of people would become very, very loyal customers. I know i would!

  5. #5
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    May 2007
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    278

    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    I got an email response-- Thanks, and keep us posted!

    Hi, Danny.

    Thanks for the email. The questions isn't so much whether coreboot supports Windows. The question is: Does coreboot keep up with all of the bios updates that come down for windows-related functionality for all of the motherboards they support. I imagine this would be pretty difficult for them to do, but I could well be wrong.

    I've passed your email on to our R&D department. They try to contribute to the work of third-party developers if they can.

    Best Regards,
    Tom Aaron
    System 76 Technical Support
    support@system76.com
    720-226-9269 x603
    Last edited by DPic; January 9th, 2009 at 07:39 PM.

  6. #6
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    Dec 2006
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    Carencro, LA
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    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    I think this would be an interesting idea, and would be glad to have it on one of my computers(I don't have any computers whose motherboards have been tested or definitely work with coreboot, at the moment).

    For future reference, here is the coreboot welcome page on their wiki, and here is a page with a list of some benefits to using coreboot(though, it's not complete).

    Of particular interest is the ability to boot from nonstandard media, like flash cards and other storage devices, which are currently not supported by some(many?) proprietary BIOS's. Also note the payloads, which I believe to be what coreboot is able to boot up(may not be a complete list either).

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Wasteland
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    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    I would truly love to have coreboot on one of these. With this, and the possibility of installing Free Drivers, I might just be able to actually have a 100% Free system. I'd be overjoyed if this happened.

  8. #8
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    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Psychopath View Post
    I would truly love to have coreboot on one of these. With this, and the possibility of installing Free Drivers, I might just be able to actually have a 100% Free system. I'd be overjoyed if this happened.
    System76 would be the first to offer machines with Coreboot preinstalled! If this happened, i would get seriously active about promoting System76 over Dell and other companies that sell Ubuntu preinstalled.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Hidden!

    CoreBoot booting Windows 7 Beta, video and screenshot PROOF!

    CoreBoot already boots Windows 7 Beta, as shown on this Slashdot article from January 2009:

    http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl.../01/27/1342209

    Here's a direct link to the screenshots and videos:

    http://www.coreboot.org/Screenshots#...ting_Windows_7

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    278

    Re: Coreboot preinstalled?

    System76 is amazing for really being dedicated to free software but a truly open system can't have proprietary BIOS!

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