Updated Firmware Blobs Out For Intel Skylake & Broxton Linux Graphics

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Updated Firmware Blobs Out For Intel Skylake & Broxton Linux Graphics

In case you missed it, earlier this year I reported on Intel's open-source Linux graphics driver to require binary-only firmware blobs beginning with Skylake and Broxton hardware...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Intel-Updated-BXT-SKL-Blobs

[Laser]

So is there at least one manufacturer who gives you the opportunity to use any firmware for his devices? Not that I have a problem with it in particular, but some people used it in arguments against AMD as both nvidia and Intel allowed you to use any firmware until recently. Not that i care too much - for me it is part of the device and I prefer the opportunity to update it over the FSF's stance that closed firmware is OK as long as you cannot interchange it - but nevertheless this feels like a step back…?

[Danny3]

So what are they hiding in there?
Spyware, backdoors?

[chuckula]

So what are they hiding in there?
Spyware, backdoors?

Intel's open-source driver firmware situation is quite similar to the AMD stack with it also requiring firmware blobs in order to provide hardware acceleration.

How about a dose of vitamin STFU with the useless conspiracy drivel that is fascinatingly only assumed to apply to Intel and not to AMD.
If you think that having firmware means a device has a backdoor in it, then I have some bad news for you sunshine: Practically anything more complicated than a flashlight is spying on you. Lock yourself in a hermetically sealed underground bunker and you can feel free to tell all the conspiracy theories you want to the walls.

[scottishduck]

So what are they hiding in there?
Spyware, backdoors?

Obama's leeching computer resources to power HAARP and distribute chemtrails

[dungeon]

Michael, any idea why some posts disappeared today from various threads?

[Michael]

Michael, any idea why some posts disappeared today from various threads?

From a few hours last night / this morning? If so then it's http://www.phoronix.com/forums/forum...265-j-j-forums

[dungeon]

From a few hours last night / this morning? If so then it's http://www.phoronix.com/forums/forum...265-j-j-forums

Well i readed some posts and also post some something like 8 hours ago, but now i see they disappeared... i mean only latest post from that time disappeared.

Yeah that from link looks like it

[DanL]

How about a dose of vitamin STFU with the useless conspiracy drivel that is fascinatingly only assumed to apply to Intel and not to AMD.

How about you STFU and quit being a defensive Intel fanboy? No one said or implied that AMD doesn't use binary firmware.

Practically anything more complicated than a flashlight is spying on you. Lock yourself in a hermetically sealed underground bunker and you can feel free to tell all the conspiracy theories you want to the walls.

We're not talking about a microwave here; we're talking about a personal computer. If you follow tech news and don't think a healthy dose of paranoia is warranted, then you need to improve your reading comprehension.

[Gusar]

How about you STFU and quit being a defensive Intel fanboy? No one said or implied that AMD doesn't use binary firmware.

Sorry, but people *are* ganging up on evil, evil Intel for requiring GPU firmware, while no one made any kind of fuss when AMD initially released their driver. There is nothing defensive in chuckula's post, he is rightfully pointing out what *is* conspiracy drivel. I mean really, spyware and backdoors in GPU firmware? I can think of places where it would make much more sense to put backdoors into.

This fuss about Intel GPU firmware makes no sense whatsoever. Now go ahead, accuse me of being a "defensive fanboy" too. For daring to point out that some people write nonsense. Go ahead, do it.