[Dorset] Good news on Windows 8/UEFI?
Hi Folks Some while ago I decided it was about time to change from Windows to Linux. Having heard from you guys about the UEFI issue, and having other distractions I held off. I have now bought a laptop from Linux Emporium with Unbuntu 13.04 plus a beta version of 13.10 preloaded. It's running and am very happy with it. Learning to use the GUI is really easy. I am sure I will get to grips with the command language in due course when I am motivated to do so - by having an application for which I need it. I am in no hurry to put Linux on my desktop currently running under windows 7, but will get round to it. So for me UEFI is not currently an issue. The Lenova laptop reached Linux Emporium with Windows 8 and TPM installed. They told me that whereas previously it took them about 1 hour to install Linux now takes 5 hours and it seems they will not be continuing with that side of the business but instead focus on their software business. On the face of it bad news for the Linux community. However I have just found an undated article but seems recent 'Linux and Windows 8 Interoperability' at http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Linux-with-Windows-8. To my untutored eye it looks promising. Am I right? Out of sheer curiosity I was wondering just how secure UEFI makes computers. I sometimes write programs in Pascal (an ancient 3rd generation language), which have to be compiled. I have occasionally send the .exe (Windows executable) files to others. This can be done either by disabling security on your email program or by using a memory stick. I asked a Microsoft community forum whether I could do the same if both machines were running Windows 8 with TPM. The answer I got was yes you can and the file will run on the recipient machine. One person got quite shirty and said that anyone who suggested otherwise was LYING (his word). So I followed this up by saying I was glad to hear that but what if I had created a virus. What does that say about UEFI and 'trusted' computing? No answer to that - what a surprise! regards David -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday, 2013-11-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Good news on Windows 8/UEFI?
On 11/10/2013 15:21, David Smith wrote: what if I had created a virus. What does that say about UEFI and 'trusted' computing? No answer to that - what a surprise! Hi David, The UEFI does not stop you running executable code on the windows operating system, you need something like lumension/sanctury for that sort of control. Where it does sit is between the BIOS and bootloader so that only signed operating systems with matching keys in the UEFI will boot on the machine. This stops, for example, students in the school, booting school PCs with memory stick operating systems. On my personal laptop I have switched off UEFI (most devices allow this) and boot into Linux and then use Windows8 as a KVM guest. Recent Linux distros (Ubuntu 64bit for example) actually detect UEFI on installation. Cheers Simon -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday, 2013-11-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
[Dorset] Fw: Good news on Windows 8/UEFI? OOPS
Further to message below it now seems to me that the article referred to below is not recent. I wish people would date their articles. -Original Message- From: David Smith Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 3:21 PM To: Dorset Linux User Group Subject: Good news on Windows 8/UEFI? Hi Folks Some while ago I decided it was about time to change from Windows to Linux. Having heard from you guys about the UEFI issue, and having other distractions I held off. I have now bought a laptop from Linux Emporium with Unbuntu 13.04 plus a beta version of 13.10 preloaded. It's running and am very happy with it. Learning to use the GUI is really easy. I am sure I will get to grips with the command language in due course when I am motivated to do so - by having an application for which I need it. I am in no hurry to put Linux on my desktop currently running under windows 7, but will get round to it. So for me UEFI is not currently an issue. The Lenova laptop reached Linux Emporium with Windows 8 and TPM installed. They told me that whereas previously it took them about 1 hour to install Linux now takes 5 hours and it seems they will not be continuing with that side of the business but instead focus on their software business. On the face of it bad news for the Linux community. However I have just found an undated article but seems recent 'Linux and Windows 8 Interoperability' at http://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Linux-with-Windows-8. To my untutored eye it looks promising. Am I right? Out of sheer curiosity I was wondering just how secure UEFI makes computers. I sometimes write programs in Pascal (an ancient 3rd generation language), which have to be compiled. I have occasionally send the .exe (Windows executable) files to others. This can be done either by disabling security on your email program or by using a memory stick. I asked a Microsoft community forum whether I could do the same if both machines were running Windows 8 with TPM. The answer I got was yes you can and the file will run on the recipient machine. One person got quite shirty and said that anyone who suggested otherwise was LYING (his word). So I followed this up by saying I was glad to hear that but what if I had created a virus. What does that say about UEFI and 'trusted' computing? No answer to that - what a surprise! regards David -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday, 2013-11-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Good news on Windows 8/UEFI?
On Friday, October 11, 2013 3:29 PM Simon P Smith wrote The UEFI does not stop you running executable code on the windows operating system, you need something like lumension/sanctury for that sort of control. Where it does sit is between the BIOS and bootloader so that only signed operating systems with matching keys in the UEFI will boot on the machine. This stops, for example, students in the school, booting school PCs with memory stick operating systems. On my personal laptop I have switched off UEFI (most devices allow this) and boot into Linux and then use Windows8 as a KVM guest. Recent Linux distros (Ubuntu 64bit for example) actually detect UEFI on installation. Hi Simon Thanks for explaining. You make it seem as though there is no issue with UEFI. As I said it is not an issue personally for me at the moment, so I won't ask you to waste your time explaining further. Will try to get to next meeting in Dorchester. Regards David -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday, 2013-11-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Good news on Windows 8/UEFI?
On Friday 11 Oct 2013 16:31:37 David Smith wrote: won't ask you to waste your time explaining further. Will try to get to next meeting in Dorchester. We haven't actually held a meeting in Dorchester for quite a while. The problem is that nearly all of the West Dorset locals moved / got jobs away, so there was only Ralph who actually lived anywhere near there. There were a few of us who travelled from the Wimborne area, but the bottom line is that we were lucky to get four or five people turn up. As a result we started using the Broadway for every meeting because the Bournemouth ites can catch the bus there! If there's enough interest in the Dorchester venue, I'm sure we could have a Meeting there again. -- Terry Coles 64 bit computing with Kubuntu Linux -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday, 2013-11-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
