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Run Linux on your iPad or iPhone then. Oh wait.



It's different. Apple and microsoft can do what they want with hardware/software bundles that they build themselves. That's why noone complains that those surface products are locked down, it's because microsoft manufactures them. Consumer harm comes into play when microsoft leverages their existing desktop OS monopoly to twist OEMs' arms into including an encryption key that OEMs gain no direct benefit from.


>That's why noone complains that those surface products are locked down, it's because microsoft manufactures them

The Surface Pro is not locked down. You can even remove Microsoft's key and stop Windows from booting and install Ubuntu's key or your own.

>Consumer harm comes into play when microsoft leverages their existing desktop OS monopoly to twist OEMs' arms into including an encryption key that OEMs gain no direct benefit from.

The OEMs benefit is that their customer's PCs are not vulnerable to undetectable rootkits as soon as they get on the internet and get hit by a Java, Flash exploit or download a fake codec or toolbar. Interesting how no one seems to talk about benefits of secure boot to real users in this discussion.


> "Interesting how no one seems to talk about benefits of secure boot to real users in this discussion."

Look, microsoft should be working to fix their software instead of leaving it as it is and instead making life miserable for those who want digital freedom.


"microsoft should be working to fix their software"

This is how they are working to fix their software.


I don't see how any computer can be flexible enough to be a general purpose PC with full freedom of customization and at same time be invulnerable to viruses and bootkits

The only way to make an OS more secure is iOS style DRM walled garden sandbox lockdown.

If what you say is true, why are Android, OS X and even Linux susceptible to viruses and rootkits? For example, Java, Flash and Adobe Reader PDF exploits are all the rage now, and OS X and Linux are as vulnerable to them as Windows is.




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