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GNU Linux-libre 5.2-gnu Blesses Sound Open Firmware, Cleans Other Drivers

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  • #11
    Originally posted by Jabberwocky View Post
    The manufacturer might be trying to workaround a hardware problem that prevents the end-user from issuing a RMA on a part that does not work as advertised. I have witnessed this many times and experienced it once. Example: Part runs at 100% power. Part is promoted, reviewed, and sold. Three months later too many issues so firmware limits part to 70% power.
    Apple MacBooks? Apple Macbooks.

    That said, if the manufacturer does not want to issue a RMA they can just not issue the RMA at all,

    Or charge you top dollar for a motherboard swap with one that had undergone shit-grade repairs with a rubber thing pressing on a chip to make sure it stays in contact with the board (yes also Apple).

    We might see less buggy and insecure microcode if it wasn't as easy to auto update firmware.
    That cure is worse than the illness, hardware got too complex to do without that like 2 decades ago.

    You would be either playing russian roulette with a massive clusterfuck disaster like a large hardware recall, or forcing to slow down advancement by orders of magnitude (i.e. a new CPU every 10 years instead of every year)

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    • #12
      Originally posted by starshipeleven View Post
      That cure is worse than the illness, hardware got too complex to do without that like 2 decades ago.

      You would be either playing russian roulette with a massive clusterfuck disaster like a large hardware recall, or forcing to slow down advancement by orders of magnitude (i.e. a new CPU every 10 years instead of every year)
      You're right. I'm not saying everyone should be doing what Linux-libre is doing, but rather make it more difficult than it currently is in most used systems (Microsoft, Apple, Android etc). If end-users were given and option to manually update firmware on request and option to manage (rollback) updates it will allow the average reviewer more control about the systems they are testing that would be a big win. The problem is that there is not enough visibility (out of sight out of mind) and introducing more control will put pressure on manufacturers to conduct more professional and ethical business practices.

      Automatic updates on firmware is okay IMO if the code is open and the end-user can review the changes.

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      • #13
        Originally posted by Jabberwocky View Post
        If end-users were given and option to manually update firmware on request and option to manage (rollback) updates
        nobody will do shit and the systems will run unpatched. Bad idea. End users don't know and should not need to know about this.

        it will allow the average reviewer more control about the systems they are testing that would be a big win.
        The reviewer has to test the system in the configuration that is also most common in the userbase, (which is what Michael also does). People doing weird experiments on video like say Linus Tech Tips are entertainment, they have no other effect.

        The problem is that there is not enough visibility (out of sight out of mind) and introducing more control will put pressure on manufacturers to conduct more professional and ethical business practices.
        It's well-known that NVIDIA does crapify the old cards in their own driver (i.e. the same card in the same system performs better with an older driver). It's like a decade that they do this, and their driver isn't even related to firmware.

        Does the average user care? No they don't.

        I don't see why that should be different for others.

        Also, for apple hardware it's kind of obvious anything they do is a scam and a cash grab regardless of firmware openness, do Apple customers care? no they don't.

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