How Intel and PC makers prevent you from modifying your laptop's firmware

MAN that is one sided! Until about the 1980s or so, MOST systems were FIXED! You would have a HARD time changing them. The 80286 had a CRIPPLED system making ANY attempt to use new features, outside of engaging a VERY expensive OPERATING SYSTEM that almost NOBODY has EVER used, was IMPOSSIBLE! COMPAQ eventually figured out a work around, but IT REQUIRED A SPECIAL BIOS! And standards are broken left and right with almost everything, ESPECIALLY with built in hardware, and THAT REQUIRES A SPECIAL BIOS! Of course, after a certain point, hardware may STILL require special access just to work, and certainly to use most new features, and so you need SPECIAL DRIVERS!

Anyway, THAT is why companies BACK IN THE 1970s, and perhaps even earlier, came up with the idea of BIOS. If it is a conspiracy, it is a POOR one! The BIOS can be BYPASSED by the OS and drivers! HECK, LINUX does that! The BIOS is there simply to provide basic access, facilitate boots, and provide a somewhat standard entry point.

BTW the BDOS ACTS like a BIOS also, but computers are STUPID! They CAN'T even load DOS, much less do anything else really, so the BDOS allows them to load part of a media that can tell them how to load another part, etc.... And THAT is called BOOTSTRAPPING, or BOOTING for short!

Steve