[coreboot] Source code for "Intel Firmware"

[ron minnich]

On Fri, Oct 5, 2018 at 9:53 PM Zvi Vered <veredz72 at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> coreboot only replaces the BIOS part developed by vendors like "AMI bios".
>
>
Just to make it clear, it was not always this way.

In 1999, 100% of what we call coreboot did 100% of the tasks, and by 2002
it worked on x86, x86_64, powerpc, and alpha-- all 100% GPL.

See slide 17 in
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-_cgb4gRhZxl9anxudIgO_NAB80yq-ks4HtOx-zlDz8/edit?usp=sharing
from
2012.
This table shows the fraction of the ROM that is developed with GPL'ed code.
That table was made in 2012; as of 2018, AMD is no more open than intel.
Probably around 10% at most of the x86 ROM space consists of GPL code.

Starting in 2004, Intel pushed back hard on this open situation and we have
ended up where we are today: significant amounts of binary blobs in
coreboot images on x86.

PLEASE, let's not start another "bad intel!" discussion again. There are
lots of people at Intel who are working hard to change back to the
more open model.

Intel is a business and the higher ups at Intel made what they thought were
the right business decisions at the time. We don't agree, and let's leave
it at that.

I just wanted to point out that in the history of microprocessors, from
1970 to present, this current closed situation is not normal.

if you really want 100% open, the only real options at this point are power
9, RISCV and some ARM CPUs.

ron
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