[coreboot] blob matrix

[Patrick Georgi]

Am 08.01.2014 06:16, schrieb ron minnich:
> As an experiment I've started a page linked from the top I'm calling
> the Blob Matrix. It's partly because the discussion got a little
> confusing for me about blobs, and partly because it's not always
> clear, moving from one system to another, that you're really reducing
> your blob count.
I'm a bit confused on the scope of that page.

I don't know for sure if the X60 comes with Intel AMT firmware or not, 
but I've never seen a Management Engine on i945/ICH7.
Also, what's the "BIOS" bit supposed to mean?

ACPI and SMM aren't exactly blobs, at least not more than all vendor 
BIOS bits. On coreboot they're neatly contained.

The ME blob on Pixel is mentioned "replacable, signed", which is 
physically true, but still meaningless because of the "signed" bit.
On the other hand MRC is "not practically replaceable" even though "all" 
it takes is reverse engineering similar to the effort for the nehalem 
support for x201.


As far as I can see, there are four different aspects intermingled right 
now:

1. What is shipping by default (eg. BIOS, ACPI, SMM)
2. Where might nastygrams hide on your device (eg. ACPI, SMM)
3. What can be replaced physically (ME firmware, but not BL0)
4. What can be replaced logically (MRC and VGA BIOS can, with tons of 
effort, ME firmware can't)

Which one are you aiming for?


Regards,
Patrick