[cobalt-security] [RaQ] BIOS upgrade

[Bruce Timberlake <bruce@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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> Wow, so just because they would have to require a reflashing of the
> BIOS, they back away ? Seems like with their resources, they could
> "run this through the wringer" in the lab and come up with
> SOMETHING, eh ?

What resources?

Seriously, they have a hard enough time getting critical patches out 
in a timely fashion.  To expect a "luxury" like this is, 
unfortunately, just unrealistic. Tim Hockin did an outstanding job 
providing what he did, and for the most part, it works just fine.  
But because there was never budget to QA and test all possible 
scenarios and provide support, it was never made "official"...

Now if Sun would just release the ROM/BIOS specs and processes so 
someone else could take a stab at it... Or for that matter, open 
source all the code, etc, behind the EOL products so that 
third-parties could provide support and extend the lifespan...

> Is it that hard on a Raq ?

It's not too tough, but it's just the darn QA and testing that's the 
problem.  One wrong move, and you have a nice blue boat anchor. 
(Soldered ROMs much tougher to replace/program than socketed, from 
what I understand...)

- -- 
Bruce Timberlake

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