I agree in principle that locked down bootloaders suck and Linux on an iPad would be sorta fun... But in practical terms I think I like a MacBook Air more as a computer anyway?
November 8, 2026 at 7:19 PM
I agree in principle that locked down bootloaders suck and Linux on an iPad would be sorta fun... But in practical terms I think I like a MacBook Air more as a computer anyway?
Not fully FOSS, but the WalMart ONN streaming stuff you can usually get into enough to install alternate launchers and apps. Latest generation of them have locked bootloaders.
November 6, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Not fully FOSS, but the WalMart ONN streaming stuff you can usually get into enough to install alternate launchers and apps. Latest generation of them have locked bootloaders.
the critical layers—bootloaders, proprietary blobs, driver firmware, and the update pipeline—are tightly controlled by OEMs, which creates security bottlenecks and planned obsolescence.
November 8, 2026 at 8:48 AM
the critical layers—bootloaders, proprietary blobs, driver firmware, and the update pipeline—are tightly controlled by OEMs, which creates security bottlenecks and planned obsolescence.
The legal question left hanging: should Apple be required to unlock bootloaders once official OS updates stop? Commenters pointed out that locking alternative OSes out of aging M-series laptops turns perfectly functional high-end silicon into guaranteed e-waste. 4/4
November 6, 2026 at 3:00 PM
The legal question left hanging: should Apple be required to unlock bootloaders once official OS updates stop? Commenters pointed out that locking alternative OSes out of aging M-series laptops turns perfectly functional high-end silicon into guaranteed e-waste. 4/4
Pourquoi est-il si difficile de créer un smartphone sous Linux ? Le problème ne vient pas seulement du logiciel: composants propriétaires, pilotes fermés, bootloaders verrouillés et dépendance aux fabricants compliquent tout. theprivacydad.com/why-is-it-so...
Why Is It So Difficult To Build an Alternative Operating System for a Smartphone?
Looking more closely at how your Android phone works can explain why it is so difficult to develop free and open source alternative operating systems for these devices.
theprivacydad.com
November 2, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Pourquoi est-il si difficile de créer un smartphone sous Linux ? Le problème ne vient pas seulement du logiciel: composants propriétaires, pilotes fermés, bootloaders verrouillés et dépendance aux fabricants compliquent tout. theprivacydad.com/why-is-it-so...
Brandon Miller is back for another year of firmware reverse engineering at RE//verse! From extracting firmware and digging through bootloaders to finding vulnerabilities in embedded devices, there's plenty to keep you busy for four days.
Firmware Reverse Engineering with Brandon Miller :: RE//verse 2027
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tickets.re-verse.io
October 29, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Brandon Miller is back for another year of firmware reverse engineering at RE//verse! From extracting firmware and digging through bootloaders to finding vulnerabilities in embedded devices, there's plenty to keep you busy for four days.
explaining bootloaders to an american or something
October 27, 2026 at 12:43 AM
explaining bootloaders to an american or something
progress has been made on developing a prototype "people's permacomputer".
the ATmega1284s received are functional, and have been able to have bootloaders flashed to them.
the problem now is that the FTDI USB to serial breakout boards that we have are […]
[Original post on retro.social]
the ATmega1284s received are functional, and have been able to have bootloaders flashed to them.
the problem now is that the FTDI USB to serial breakout boards that we have are […]
[Original post on retro.social]
October 29, 2026 at 10:03 AM
progress has been made on developing a prototype "people's permacomputer".
the ATmega1284s received are functional, and have been able to have bootloaders flashed to them.
the problem now is that the FTDI USB to serial breakout boards that we have are […]
[Original post on retro.social]
the ATmega1284s received are functional, and have been able to have bootloaders flashed to them.
the problem now is that the FTDI USB to serial breakout boards that we have are […]
[Original post on retro.social]
"Welcome to GRUB" is just good marketing on their part. It's not The French Laundry; you're there for GRUB. Plus it shows they have good taste in bootloaders
October 26, 2026 at 11:45 PM
"Welcome to GRUB" is just good marketing on their part. It's not The French Laundry; you're there for GRUB. Plus it shows they have good taste in bootloaders
they shouldn't be using pxe either. I'm pretty sure systemd-boot and other modern bootloaders can use a networked image. Makes way more sense to have a local bootloader that's not uefi. Of course how things should work and how they actually do rarely meet
October 27, 2026 at 11:15 PM
they shouldn't be using pxe either. I'm pretty sure systemd-boot and other modern bootloaders can use a networked image. Makes way more sense to have a local bootloader that's not uefi. Of course how things should work and how they actually do rarely meet
LineageOS fête bientôt ses 10 ans. Android 17, bootloaders verrouillés, vie privée : un mainteneur historique explique comment le projet s’adapte. 📱🔧 www.clubic.com/dossier-6344.... #nogafam #opensource
LineageOS : « La vie d’un appareil ne s'arrête pas forcément quand son constructeur stoppe les mises à jour »
Basée sur Android 17, la version 24.0 de LineageOS est arrivée en environ quatre mois, contre six auparavant. À l’approche des dix ans du projet, nous avons interrogé l'un des contributeurs historique...
www.clubic.com
October 25, 2026 at 3:25 PM
LineageOS fête bientôt ses 10 ans. Android 17, bootloaders verrouillés, vie privée : un mainteneur historique explique comment le projet s’adapte. 📱🔧 www.clubic.com/dossier-6344.... #nogafam #opensource
Well I guess the positive thing about that "Private Key 4" vulnerability is many old "Smart" TVs and Meta VR headsets running old enough firmware could now potentially be rooted and their bootloaders be unlocked.
October 21, 2026 at 7:54 AM
Well I guess the positive thing about that "Private Key 4" vulnerability is many old "Smart" TVs and Meta VR headsets running old enough firmware could now potentially be rooted and their bootloaders be unlocked.
Writing this from my "Linuxed" HP OmniBook X (not a Snapdragon fortunately):
I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't tried to ice out Linux by blocking all unsigned bootloaders. Given how power-hungry most corporations are, I compliment Microsoft for showing restraint and not going full tech overlord there.
I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't tried to ice out Linux by blocking all unsigned bootloaders. Given how power-hungry most corporations are, I compliment Microsoft for showing restraint and not going full tech overlord there.
October 21, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Writing this from my "Linuxed" HP OmniBook X (not a Snapdragon fortunately):
I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't tried to ice out Linux by blocking all unsigned bootloaders. Given how power-hungry most corporations are, I compliment Microsoft for showing restraint and not going full tech overlord there.
I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't tried to ice out Linux by blocking all unsigned bootloaders. Given how power-hungry most corporations are, I compliment Microsoft for showing restraint and not going full tech overlord there.
been battling the arduinos all night.
i cannot get either of my ATmega328P-PU or ATmega1284P-PU loose chips to 'wake up'
i am, however, able to flash bootloaders successfully backwards and forwards between my arduino pro micro and arduino mega prefabricated boards.
so the problem is not with […]
i cannot get either of my ATmega328P-PU or ATmega1284P-PU loose chips to 'wake up'
i am, however, able to flash bootloaders successfully backwards and forwards between my arduino pro micro and arduino mega prefabricated boards.
so the problem is not with […]
Original post on anticapitalist.party
anticapitalist.party
October 21, 2026 at 6:38 PM
been battling the arduinos all night.
i cannot get either of my ATmega328P-PU or ATmega1284P-PU loose chips to 'wake up'
i am, however, able to flash bootloaders successfully backwards and forwards between my arduino pro micro and arduino mega prefabricated boards.
so the problem is not with […]
i cannot get either of my ATmega328P-PU or ATmega1284P-PU loose chips to 'wake up'
i am, however, able to flash bootloaders successfully backwards and forwards between my arduino pro micro and arduino mega prefabricated boards.
so the problem is not with […]
IME, most random android devices already have locked bootloaders.
You can go ham over ADB though, on account of it being a pretty generic computer.
You can go ham over ADB though, on account of it being a pretty generic computer.
October 19, 2026 at 8:47 PM
IME, most random android devices already have locked bootloaders.
You can go ham over ADB though, on account of it being a pretty generic computer.
You can go ham over ADB though, on account of it being a pretty generic computer.