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How Good is Commercial BIOS Code?

Posted by Cliff on from the things-users-generally-neglect dept.

Bitten-by-BIOSbugs asks: "My job involves porting PC BIOS code supplied by one of the Big Names to my employer's products. In my experience, this code seems to be so full of holes you could strain pasta with it. However, the vendor seems not to care when I report bugs, and rarely have fixes been made available. What is the experience of other Slashdot readers regarding the quality of commercial BIOS products?"

6 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Another great question. by walt-sjc · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure at least 70% of slashdot readers have worked with commercial PC bios source. All right people, pony up with the great responses already! Here we are finally with a question perfectly appropriate for /. and nobody is responding.... What's the deal????

    :-)

  2. Alan Cox's view of (at least one) BIOS programmer by amorsen · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...wouldnt know QA if it hit them on the head with a mallet...

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    Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
  3. Pasta by ealar+dlanvuli · · Score: 4, Funny

    so full of holes I could strain pasta with it

    At least it's not writen in perl. Then how could you tell it from the pasta your straining?

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    I live in a giant bucket.
  4. Haven't seen source, BUT... by Ashurbanipal · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's not hard to figure out that BIOS programmers are pretty unprofessional. Just go get a half dozen different motherboards, boot into CMOS config, and select one of the cryptic little configuration options nobody ever messes with, say, "Chronosynclastic Infandibulum". Now, press the "help" key and read the incredibly useful help message: "This option selects Chronosynclastic Infandibulum".

    I'd fire any programmer who did that, but it's de rigeur for BIOSes.

    1. Re:Haven't seen source, BUT... by clovis · · Score: 2, Funny

      It didn't understand you because you misspelled "infundibulum"

    2. Re:Haven't seen source, BUT... by Ashurbanipal · · Score: 2, Funny
      It didn't understand you because you misspelled "infundibulum"
      No, no, that's my whole point, they spelled it wrong in the BIOS!

      They typically can't spell interociter either. Talentless hacks.