Linus Torvalds: Windows 8 Secure Boot Doesn’t Destroy Linux

Many Linux lovers are worried that Microsoft’s new Secure Boot technology will make it more difficult to get the open source operating system onto machines that originally ship with Windows 8.

…

When Microsoft first unveiled its unified extensible firmware interface, or UEFI, many complained that it would keep Linux off of machines that originally ship with Windows 8, due to officially arrive this fall. But since then, Linux distributor Red Hat and others have worked to massage the technology so that third party OS’s are accommodated. Essentially, Red Hat and other OS makers must distribute their own keys to firmware makers, and in order to do so for Linux distros such as Fedora, they must pay a one-time $99 fee to VeriSign, which helps distribute the keys.

Read the rest here.

When this was first announced there was much gnashing of teeth, while it still remains to be seen how this will play out, it is clear that it won’t be the show stopper originally expected.  Most of the Linux distributions are purchasing their one time keys, with RedHat leading that charge.  Overall this is the next step in computing as the industry attempts to combat malicious programs and use.