Disabling Secure MUST NOT be possible on ARM systems.

Dear Microsoft. Hello there. Please forward this complaint to someone who can understand and reply to it, if you are not that person.

I read in a Microsoft document, that “Disabling Secure (boot) MUST NOT be possible on ARM systems” that ship with Windows 8.

This offends and angers me. DAMN that “MUST NOT” for a BAD JOKE.

If an OEM wants to ship ARM devices or computers with Windows 8, those devices must be locked to Windows 8, and the user is not allowed to run an alternative operating system such as Linux without resorting to extensive hackery. This is extremely anti-competitive.

I am a computer programmer – developer – who uses Windows and Linux every day of the working week. I use Intel, ARM and MIPS computers and devices.

I own many ARM systems, and can code in ARM assembly language. I have bought an ARM phone, three ARM handhelds, an ARM development board, an ARM e-book reader, an ARM router, and an Acorn ARM computer. I like ARM.

As a software developer, I have a fairly large disposable income, and spend much of that on computer software and devices. I bought various Microsoft products, and many computers that shipped with Microsoft operating systems. My company licenses Microsoft products for us to use at work. I am a Microsoft customer.

If you maintain this “MUST NOT” clause, I will not buy any more Microsoft products, I will not buy any ‘locked’ Windows 8 ARM devices, and when I buy new PCs and laptops, the manufacturer shall give me a full refund for any unwanted copy of Windows that might have been pre-installed. I will actively petition other people to avoid Microsoft, because you are behaving like an anti-competitive bad-ass company.
I would never purchase such a stupid locked-down device. I won’t purchase Apple devices, because they limit the programming languages that may be used on them. I actively discourage people from buying Apple products, and similarly for Microsoft products now. Please change this idiotic MUST NOT clause, so that I can continue to be a Microsoft customer.