[SGVLUG] Chromebook and the future of secure boot

Braddock Gaskill braddock at braddock.com
Wed Mar 21 11:31:53 PDT 2012


HI folks,
I just ordered a Chromebook, mainly so I could watch Neflix without
Windows under Chrome OS and dual-boot to Ubuntu for everything else.

Unfortunately I learned that if you turn the firmware secure boot option
off on the Chromebook, Netflix on Chrome OS will refuse to work.  Thus no
dual-booting possible for Netflix users.

I have canceled my Chromebook order.

Is this the future?  When secure UEFI becomes commonplace next year and
required for Windows 8, will turning it off to enable dual booting cause
apps like Netflix in Windows to refuse to run?  Windows becomes
cripple-ware if you dare install Linux?

Having run into this now for real, and on a Linux-based Google device no
less, I fear this is very likely.

-braddock



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