On Oct 11, 2009, at 7:52 AM, Linda Hungerford wrote:
> Still lurking mostly, but..... could you translate this for this
> novice? Don't know this terminology, starting with BIOS onward.
All computers need some low-level 'smarts' so that they can start up,
or 'bootstrap' themselves, a reference to the adage about 'pulling
yourself up by your bootstraps', it is where we get the term 'boot',
meaning to start up a computer.
BIOS ('Basic Input/Output System')and EFI ('Extensible Firmware
Interface') refer to the same sort of thing, a tiny bit of code stored
permanently on a computer representing the very basic instructions on
showing video, reading hard drives, emitting sound, etc.
It also tells whatever OS is running what the specific hardware
features are on the computer, so that the operating system knows what
drivers to use.
Open Firmware in this case is the 'language' of the EFI, a set of
standards defining how a computer will interact with these lower level
systems.
EFI is a more advanced and standardized mechanism, and allows for
smart peripherals (such as PCI cards) to 'chime in' during boot.
--
Bruce Johnson
U of Az College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group
Institutions don't have opinions, merely customs
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