Developers Call On Intel To Open-Source PSE Firmware As Their Newest Binary Headache

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Developers Call On Intel To Open-Source PSE Firmware As Their Newest Binary Headache

With Intel's Atom x6000E "Elkhart Lake" SoCs there is a new block called the Programmable Services Engine (PSE) that is an Arm Cortex-M7 companion core that handles various tasks. Unfortunately, with the PSE it means a new binary-only firmware module. With the Programmable Services Engine likely to come with future Intel platforms too, Coreboot developers and open-source enthusiasts are calling on Intel to now open-source this firmware to avoid having this extra binary blob and further complicating future open-source firmware efforts...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Intel-PSE-FW-Call-For-Open

[-MacNuke-]

Most of the time I have troubles with my computer it is related to some firmware bug. EFI firmware, wifi firmware, gpu firmware, ... they are all closed source and obviously hot garbage when it comes to quality. The "more advanced" the x86 ecosystem becomes the more I just wish for a less "advanced" computer that just works, is open source and has a decent performance.

[Termy]

Another proprietary blackbox with ring -1 access - sounds like an excellent idea!

RISC-V surely can't take off in the desktop soon enough...

[rmfx]

One more reason for garbage x86 to finally die.

[numacross]

Another proprietary blackbox with ring -1 access - sounds like an excellent idea!

RISC-V surely can't take off in the desktop soon enough...

And how is RISC-V going to solve proprietary firmware blobs? It's just an ISA, the core designs can be proprietary, the platforms can be proprietary.

[billyswong]

And how is RISC-V going to solve proprietary firmware blobs? It's just an ISA, the core designs can be proprietary, the platforms can be proprietary.

I guess he is imagining if RISC-V overthrows AMD64, the manufacturers of the new mainstream architecture will use open-source firmware for everything, because magic.

[discordian]

Time for Linux-libre to de-blob x86!

[Alex/AT]

A coprocessor with networking access and closed firmware?
One fine backdoor that is.

[arabek]

Yeah, cause that went well always... not.

[tildearrow]

Intel knows how to lie for sure. They promised open-source, but look at this.