[coreboot] [Honest Request] Use Coreboot as BIOS for Server and Storage motherboard

[Peter Stuge]

Kiran Patil wrote:
> To make this project true "Open Compute Project", this Coreboot
> BIOS software on Motherboard is essential.
> 
> I request you to consider using Coreboot (www.coreboot.org) as BIOS
> for Server and Storage motherboards used in Open Compute Project.

Note that BIOS refers to a very specific set of OS<->firmware
interfaces which have evolved over 30 years with little to no
formal specification.

coreboot is a BIOS replacement. coreboot can be combined with the
SeaBIOS project to have a standard BIOS environment, but perhaps more
importantly coreboot offers significant opportunity for innovation
even at the x86 firmware level.

Quoting Open_Compute_Project_Intel_Motherboard_v2.0.docx (Word file?):

--8<--
6  BIOS

The ODM is responsible for supplying and customizing a BIOS for the
motherboard.
-->8--

The above means absolute BIOS vendor lock-in, and it has been
designed into the specification right from the start. Not very open.

While the above is indeed the norm in the PC industry, it is by no
means the only viable solution.

There are significant benefits to be gained from avoiding firmware
lock-in, both in terms of freedom as well as significant technical
and economical advantages, and I would urge any project striving for
openness not to settle for the industry standard lock-in practise,
and come talk to us in the coreboot project about firmware without
lock-in, and without legacy limitations.


Kind regards

//Peter