Platform/x86: Add Intel Software Defined Silicon driver

While amd pours R&D into making their chips faster, intel is investigating ways to make their chips run slower

Oh look, Intel is going back to the IBM 1960s mainframe model.<p>How long until they use their management features to sell overnight spare capacity on your machine (using WoL or firmware tricks to power on your machine if you turn it off overnight) unless you pay them monthly?

I used to work for a manufacturer of mainframes in the 1970s. The installation guys told me about upgrades. They would carry in big sealed crates. They would put paper over any windows in the doors etc. The crates would be opened to reveal food and drinks, books and magazines. They would open up the mainframe and flick the &#x27;double power&#x27; or whatever switch, set some tests going and have an enjoyable relaxing day.<p>Plus ça change.

I cannot coherently state my contempt for this notion of &quot;we sell you shit then charge you rent to use it&quot;. May it be pissed upon from a great height by thousands of syphilitic camels.<p>That said, I wonder what the position of the kernel community will be on including &quot;crack&quot; drivers that unlock these capabilities without the associated payme bullshit?<p>I believe there&#x27;s precedent for similar &quot;feature unlock&quot; hardware driver code.

Even assuming it&#x27;s good -<p>Do we now need permisions to log into our own CPUs? Log into some web page before CPU starts ? (that internal Minix) :&gt;<p>Or Internet connection required to be allowed to power on ex-PC ??<p>Btw. looks like yet another reason to not buy Intel.

Another reason to never buy intel added to the list.

Now this is why I don&#x27;t feel like buying new hardware

Didn&#x27;t they do something similar to this with some of there earlier chips? Like an upgrade from a standard Pentium to a Core based CPU? It din&#x27;t go over well then either.