Below is a cute read from the LinuxForums… This seems like a BIOS targeted to be used only with Windows Vista, because no other OS has the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) functionality. This means that this BIOS will protect your hard disk data, even if your laptop is stolen. I’m not a fan of TPM (a.k.a. DRM) but it’s like “encrypting” your hard drive at the BIOS level. So it’s perfectly normal that this works only with Vista… but don’t take my word for it.

If you’re buying a new computer in the near future, it may be a good idea to avoid systems with Phoenix bios on them. There’s recent proof that their 2003 contract with Microsoft has born fruit in their latest bios versions which now prevent you from installing any OS other than Vista. Not only is this a really, really bad move by Phoenix, but it’s also another strike against Microsoft as it seems to be trying to become uber monopolistic in the PC market again simply by locking out anyone and everyone they can.  Thank goodness the open bios project is in full swing.  We may need them in the near future.

Ohhh and here are some more related (READ: interesting) reads, including criticism of Trusted Computing platforms:

Electronic Frontier Foundation: http://w2.eff.org/Infrastructure/trusted_computing/
Richard Stallman of FSF: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html

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