ZDNet UK


Skip to Main Content

ZDNet.co.uk - Winner of Best Business Website 2007
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Blogs
  4. Reviews
  5. Jobs
  6. Resources
  7. Community
  8. My ZDNet

 

ZDNet UK RSS Feeds


Application development Toolkit

Microsoft moves to integrate Windows with BIOS

Matthew Broersma ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 03 Oct 2003 17:25 BST

  • Email
  • Trackback
  • Clip Link
  • Print friendly
  • Post Comment

Microsoft has expanded its relationship with BIOS maker Phoenix Technologies in a deal designed to more closely integrate the basic building blocks of the PC with the Windows operating system.

The relationship, announced this week, is designed to make PCs simpler and more reliable, the companies said. The move is likely to put consumer rights advocates on their guard, however, since both Microsoft and Phoenix are involved in plans to integrate digital rights management (DRM) technology at the operating system and hardware level. DRM is designed to give copyright owners more control over how users make use of software and content, but has been criticised as eroding consumer rights.

A BIOS, or basic input/output system, is the software that ties the operating system to a PC's hardware. Traditionally, it has carried out basic tasks such as hardware and system configuration, and has been standardised and simple enough to allow the installation of alternative operating systems, including Linux.

Phoenix's Core System Software (CSS) is a next-generation BIOS with a more sophisticated integration of operating system and hardware, for example making it easier for system administrators to remotely monitor the hardware configurations of their systems. CSS is designed for non-PC systems such as blade servers and embedded industrial devices as well as traditional desktops.

Microsoft said integration should mean simpler and more reliable computers. "This is a pivotal change for the industry, and it will rapidly advance serviceability, deployment, and management for servers, mobile devices, and desktops," said Microsoft general manager of Windows hardware Tom Phillips, in a statement. "Effectively, Phoenix is creating an entirely new category of system software."

Microsoft said the next-generation BIOS would allow future versions of Windows to manage server blades when they are connected to a system, without needing to be turned on. The BIOS would also allow better control of unauthorised devices connected to a system, Microsoft said.

Phoenix is one of the biggest BIOS providers, its customers including four of the top five PC manufacturers. Its products are also used by consumer electronics makers such as Pioneer, Matsushita, Sony and Toshiba.

Both Microsoft and Phoenix are currently arguing for closer integration of Windows with PC hardware, and DRM integrated throughout. Microsoft is planning to tie Windows DRM features to the hardware platform via its controversial Next Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB) project, formerly known as Palladium. NGSCB is associated with the next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn, which is due in about two years' time.

Phoenix recently said it is touting round a BIOS with built-in DRM technology to major PC manufacturers. In September the company said it had developed a prototype of its Core Management Engine (CME) including DRM from Orbid. The DRM technology would allow content providers to identify which PCs and devices were authorised to play particular files, more effectively controlling content distribution, file-trading and moving software from one machine to another, according to Phoenix.

Phoenix said the DRM-enabled CME was not part of Microsoft's NGSCB, but that the technology was complementary. The CME would allow PC makers to embed digital rights management directly into the hardware, though they would have the option of allowing users to turn it off.

Consumer electronics makers are particularly interested in the technology, according to Phoenix.

  • Email
  • Trackback
  • Clip Link
  • Print friendlyPrint with Konica

Did you find this article useful?
67 out of 131 people found this useful


In association with Intel

Talkback

Post a comment


Full Talkback thread

109 comments

  1. Bull. To put it mildly. Anyone with half a brain (... Jeff Partridge
  2. Microsoft's plan to integrate the operating system... Phil A
  3. OH, GREAT. Soon we'll have viruses infecting not o... Anonymous
  4. Can't they keep their hands off of anything? I've... Jeff A.
  5. Ok..it takes A LOT to scare me. This scares me. Dan
  6. They are trying to rule the wold but will fail. Mo... Anonymous
  7. Gatezooks Batman! Can Bill be stealing another App... Michel Levesque
  8. Phoenix is only one of the many global organsation... Adebayo Omo-Dare
  9. An attempt to squelch Linux? Hm... They're not s... Laura
  10. just boycot any mobo with that bios.. that takes... joeldg
  11. TO ALL WHO ARGUE THAT WE HAVE A CHOICE: Yes,... Anonymous
  12. This article is about to get posted on slashdot, h... Anonymous
  13. "The BIOS would also allow better control of unaut... Jim Storch
  14. Wow, that's the last Phoenix bios I buy, shame too... edfardos
  15. Good news! Microsoft is trying to take over yet a... Anonymous
  16. As Michel Levesque said, Apple has been doing this... John Thurlow
  17. someone need to shurdown Microsoft. I hope some gr... Anonymous
  18. The anti-MS sentiments here are pathetic... Micros... Anonymous
  19. I flat out refuse to buy a motherboard with a Wind... Sean Darrenkamp
  20. Uhhhh ....it´s gonna be messy I´d guess . I very m... Winston Graeme
  21. might want to spell authorized as authorized and n... Anonymous
  22. This is ZDNet.co.uk. In the UK authorized is spelt... Anonymous
  23. Thats opening the door to windows virus that will... blackcomb
  24. Re: What Apple does When Microsoft startes making... Anonymous
  25. First SCO kernel lawsuits... now this? What's nex... Gill Bates
  26. Provided versions of the BIOS are made available w... Anonymous
  27. If people can get around all the MS-Specific stuff... Jerry Leik
  28. I beg your pardon, but doesn't this run afoul of t... Anonymous
  29. And I thought the only advantage DOS had over CP/M... Mark Harvey
  30. R.E: Matthew Broersma You make it sound like Micro... Anonymous
  31. We are borg; you are fud. Our daily mantra here at... LinuxIsOverRated
  32. I do not like this one bit at all. Microsoft is be... Matt S.
  33. I believe, Microsoft will not be able to do such a... Nitrocloud
  34. I would just like to know if when Microsoft says t... Eric Damron
  35. Time to develop an open-source hardware platform t... g salter
  36. Oh.. right.. so another bribe underway. Whats next... Gunblade
  37. This stinks. What about the settlement reach rega... Anonymous
  38. This is the most selfish thing I heard since I fo... Kris mason
  39. It's not complicated that problem its what we call... Michel Plante
  40. The Apple model is actually different. They provi... Anonymous
  41. *sniff sniff* I smell IBM and MCA here..wonder if... Doug Mayfield
  42. What Microsoft and Phoenix are doing is very simil... Ezra
  43. I say let them do it!!!! i PESONALLY don't ca... joelol75
  44. Oh fuck. That thing sucks. Windows was OK for me b... Fast Finn
  45. Firstly, If Microsoft were an actual monopoly like... John McKenzie
  46. The Roman Empire fell, the supposed Third Rei... Anonymous
  47. The Roman Empire fell, the supposed Third Rei... Anonymous
  48. You morons act like you don't have a choice. Even... UrbanRiot
  49. This *cannot* be allowed to happen. It constitute... ajs318
  50. The only difference I see between Apple doing this... Perry Nichols
  51. I think Robin Williams said it best on an HBO stan... Nick Balatoni
  52. I should also add that my other statement really w... Nick Balatoni
  53. The difference being that the software and the har... Facade
  54. I think Windows in the BIOS is a great idea. Work... Majik Fox
  55. I wish Windows would migrate to a diode and stay t... Anonymous
  56. Well... BIOS patch every day and 6 Service Packs p... Anonymous
  57. I can see another action against M$. I custom bu... Nigel
  58. The real goal should be to eliminate DRIVERS. Mos... john
  59. Just proves microsoft wants complete control of ev... Anonymous
  60. Isn't this close integration of software and hardw... Anonymous
  61. Erm, that's a very, very bad idea. Remember CIH? W... IgGy
  62. Microsoft say this will make computers more reliab... Leonard Gore
  63. This is so great! I'm really thrilled about this M... Adam Sindelar
  64. Well, I think that I quite simply will turn over... Anonymous
  65. Will be the last phonix bios for me to unless, the... Kenneth
  66. Yeah, why should they try just to hang the parts o... Anonymous
  67. BeOS users on the Mac already know what "killing o... Rodrigo de Arcayne
  68. Microsoft is an insidious parasite that refuses to... Anonymous
  69. All this, not to mention that "integrate"-d code c... Anonymous
  70. Someone said that we should lay off Microsoft beca... Linux User
  71. I think MS allready lost its anti trust law suit. Anonymous
  72. Soon I wont be able to take a dump without MS know... Clay S
  73. Well hmm i think it would be stupid for Windows an... JoshsMac
  74. As Michel Levesque said, Apple has been doing this... b0lt
  75. [quote]The anti-MS sentiments here are pathetic...... Arden
  76. One folk, one country, one operating system? Nisse Konkas
  77. One of the reasons I use a PC as opposed to a Mac... Anonymous
  78. Microsoft with the help of DRM and palladium will... Anonymous
  79. thinks.....OS controls BIOS, OS controls software,... Nick Darley-Jones
  80. good move microsoft ,people how don't like it ,wil... Olivier Rallon
  81. I think it is atrocious that Microsoft wants to co... Steven Thompson
  82. Monopoly anyone? Alienate such a group of users as... Anonymous
  83. OK, so we can put an OS on a motherboard chip with... Anonymous
  84. They're going to have to make this a bloody good O... Charles
  85. Like any smart consumer, I think this is a step in... Bob Lablah
  86. Where does this place Intel's Vanderpool? (Multi-O... Chiral
  87. Microsoft's tentacles are not and never will be wi... Anonymous
  88. I really do not think that most people will not go... David Ross
  89. Crime'o'soft still tryin' to control the world...... Dam - France
  90. There's a first. Microsoft and security spoken in... Munch
  91. This is a BAD IDEA I hav mi own idea. It is not fi... http://zzo38computer.cjb.net/
  92. I have just come out of a situation where, if the... Anonymous
  93. One more time, Micro$oft shows us his voluntee for... Morithil Gaeldîr
  94. What is the alternative , if this happens, someone... willy willcome
  95. are particular BIOS developer tied to specific mob... Anonymous
  96. Our lovely friends at Microsoftİ have decided to t... Phlux
  97. I'm just disgusted. David Ammouial
  98. Thats f*ck'n computer communism! Nick Anderson
  99. I remember that Kro$oft cried out about GNU/Linux... yaen pujol
  100. I can see it now. A Microsoft website devoted to... Anonymous
  101. What would you like to see in the future MIcrosoft... Anonymous
  102. I would like to see a small penguin prominent... mustals
  103. hmhmhm, If you have been in the industry as long... Dave
  104. In the good ole times of the Sinclair SPECTRUM (tm... Dragos Dinescu
  105. You've got to be kidding! Let's open a new can of... Mr BOB
  106. just who does bill gates think he is?. an arr... Anonymous
  107. bios v1.3.............blue screen of death Anonymous
  108. Hands off the hardware, Gates, or I go Linux passerby
  109. My worries are that when computers are sold with t... Richard Dean

Related Links

More In Application development


Company/Topic Alerts

Create a new alert from the list below:






Discussions

Telic Telic

MacLinux

Friday 10 October 2008, 10:34 PM

5 comments
1000215420 1000215420

Punishment & Deterrent

Friday 10 October 2008, 9:37 PM

4 comments
1000215420 1000215420

Punishment & Deterrent

Friday 10 October 2008, 9:36 PM

4 comments
1000215420 1000215420

Lack of Individual Responsibility

Friday 10 October 2008, 9:32 PM

1 comment

View All

Featured Talkback

In association with Intel
The fact is: Software developers today are really designers and not coders. The reason that business anlaysts exist today to model solutions is because they understand the value of designing software before writing it. All too often developers create code that has little value because they do not understand that business classes interact with other classes within the confines of a working model or pattern.

By: 1000165269

Read full story:
Making sense of agile modelling