Intel creates open source for BIOS

THE TOWERING chip behemoth Intel is releasing open-source code designed to make the boot-up process for PCs and servers more predictable and faster.

The code comes from Intel's Tiano project, which was designed to kill off the aged and clunky BIOS system.

Spinsters for Chipzilla said the company will release a driver development kit and firmware foundation code under the open-source Common Public License.

Apparently the open sauce code that Intel will release will be written in C. Intel hopes that by releasing the new code it will encourage more people to use it.

Not everyone may take the same view about Tiano.

In the short term it means that hardware makers will be able to more efficiently write their drivers as well as anticipate any changes in the input-output system. Tiano-based machines boot up in about one-third the time required by servers equipped with traditional BIOSes.