Linux Support Is Coming To Allow De-Authorizing Thunderbolt Devices

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux Support Is Coming To Allow De-Authorizing Thunderbolt Devices

While in recent years there has been growing interest in enhancing Linux's Thunderbolt security with offering security levels and other functionality to authorize supported/known Thunderbolt devices, surprisingly it's taken until 2021 to see the ability for Linux's Thunderbolt software connection manage to handle de-authorizing devices...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-Thunderbolt-De-Authorize

[uid313]

What about on USB4, USB4 with Alternative Mode such as PCI Express, and FireWire?

[zexelon]

Not overly surprising... Thunderbolt standardisation has been like watching the HD DVD vs Blueray battle but between TB and USB. In the end TB seems to have absorbed enough that it can pretend to be USB if it wants to. The key issue personally is that while TB is painfully slowly becoming more available on systems there just are not many peripherals for it. Trying to find a true TB external drive (not some USB-C usb drive that will fit in a TB port) is a royal pain and they are crazy expensive.

Also as far as I know you cannot by a TB expansion card for a computer like you can USB. I still am not sure why this is (there probably is a very good reason). I have tried to find a PCI-E to TB port card, but as far as I can see they dont exist or are proprietary to specific motherboard configurations.

Given all that I can fully see why devs would focus on other areas to improve.

[f0rmat]

What about on USB4, USB4 with Alternative Mode such as PCI Express, and FireWire?

I for one am very interested in the USB 4. I am willing to push off upgrading my system (to a point) in order to wait for USB 4.

[extremesquared]

I'll be interested in seeing how the usb4 standard integrates usb a connector specs before jumping on that bandwagon. It doesn't seem like they have done that yet, and usb c is still inferior to usb a in some insurmountable ways.

[uid313]

I for one am very interested in the USB 4. I am willing to push off upgrading my system (to a point) in order to wait for USB 4.

Not me, I am more interested in DDR5, PCI Express 4, 5, and 6 (and compatible SSDs), ARM and RISC-V.

I'll be interested in seeing how the usb4 standard integrates usb a connector specs before jumping on that bandwagon. It doesn't seem like they have done that yet, and usb c is still inferior to usb a in some insurmountable ways.

In what way?

[extremesquared]

In what way?

Not performance. Physical characteristics like port durability and strength, cable durability. DIY/Repairability. Price. Usb-c standard has also drifted quite a bit in scope. If you need to label different usb cables, it's not much of a standard, but that's more of a secondary gripe. It has given up a lot of engineering headroom (which low-quality cables and overseas-manufactured devices need) for the sake of miniaturization. Usb-c does shine on miniaturized devices, and I'm happy to be rid of mini/micro. The two ports will be coexisting in the professional space for some time, though maybe not in ultrabooks.

[f0rmat]

Not me, I am more interested in DDR5, PCI Express 4, 5, and 6 (and compatible SSDs), ARM and RISC-V.



In what way?

You have a very good point.

However, for my use case, my main interest in USB 4 is to allow me to have a laptop that can function as a multi-peripheral workstation. The PCI express I definitely understand, but I do not know how soon many of those will be coming to laptops - and when they do, it will not be like a desktop or server board where you have many slots. My desire is to try to expand a laptop's versatility and capability. The laptop is what I have to take with me to work with customers. For a desktop, you are correct.

[microcode]

Not performance. Physical characteristics like port durability and strength, cable durability. DIY/Repairability. Price. Usb-c standard has also drifted quite a bit in scope. If you need to label different usb cables, it's not much of a standard, but that's more of a secondary gripe. It has given up a lot of engineering headroom (which low-quality cables and overseas-manufactured devices need) for the sake of miniaturization. Usb-c does shine on miniaturized devices, and I'm happy to be rid of mini/micro. The two ports will be coexisting in the professional space for some time, though maybe not in ultrabooks.

Is there any actual problem with the USB C connector specification that hampers durability? I've had far fewer problems with half decent USB C receptacles than with USB A receptacles.

Cables I worry less about (since they are consumables, rather than repair parts), but my average USB C cables have worn much less badly than my average USB A-B and A-microB cables.

Garbage cables are seen in both connector styles, not sure what the point is griping about buying a garbage non-compliant cable (not sure what you mean by "not much of a standard" when it has more stringent mark certifications than any previous USB standard), when the nice thing about USB C cables is that they are usually standard on both sides rather than soldered to the board on one end like many USB A cables you meet.

[extremesquared]

Is there any actual problem with the USB C connector specification that hampers durability?

Nope. Just physics. Leverage and moments and whatnot. Usb-c is a superior miniaturized connector. But miniaturization and physics are often at odds. I'll be surprised, for instance, if workhorse thinkpads are missing usb-a ports in 2030, simply because trading durability for form in the large-scale-deployment professional space won't be readily accepted. I'll also be surprised if USB forum decides to stop non-miniaturized connectors at USB3, but maybe 3.2 performance is "good enough".

Could it be just as strong as usb-a? Sure -- with good non-stamped steel connectors and non-soldered board mounting techniques. But then we're getting back to the expense level of db-25 connectors which was part of the big benefit of USB over db25 in the first place. On the other hand, whether one of these things should really be hanging off a solder-mount usb-a port isn't a hill I'll die on either.