Niklas Ekström wrote:
On Thu, 5 Aug 1999, Ron Tsur wrote:
I provide consulting services to Intel, many times concerning chipsets. I am bound by non-disclosure agreement so I could not provide you with any information that you cannot receive by other means. However, Intel does not want to hide information regarding released chipsets, only to protect pre-release products. I believe that the best avenue for you is to request a developer CD-ROM subscription, which is free of charge, if you qualify and includes regular quarterly updates. refer to Developers' Insight CD-ROM at
This is annoying. Do you think that I'm actually that stupid that I haven't retrieved the information that is freely available from Intel before I write something like this to this mailinglist?
Niklas,
I would not be subscribing to this mailing list if I would not share your interest in open source and free OpenBIOS. I don't think that you are stupid, but your attitude sucks, because you attack the very people that are trying to help you. Maybe you cannot get the information you are seeking because of your attitude.
If you read my letter carefully, you will see that I offered you some real help. I can probably get the documents you need at any time. However, I cannot distribute them legally without the owners (Intel) consent. I understand your frustrations. I have frustrations about keeping information from the public too, but I have to live with them. I don't think that you will go very far, begging BIOS engineers to (illegally) release the information to you. You may be better off developing a strategy to convince Intel that your effort is going to be in their best interest. At least, this is what I do when I need such information.
Now, comes my question. Why do you need Intel's BIOS specs. If you are working on a truly OPEN software product, isn't it better to take the "cleanroom" approach? Intel's specs are always influenced by their ties and legal agreements with the major BIOS manufacturers (phoenix, award, etc.) who actually PATENT some of the algorithms they are using in their products. Intel's BIOS specs may pose some unreasonable limitations on your supposedly unencumbered design and Intel or one of the other BIOS manufacturers may have legal claims to OpenBIOS if they can prove that you used "their" proprietary information in your design. So, perhaps, we will all be better off without Intel's help.
Thanks for listening,
Ron.