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Linux: Dell and Lenovo Join the Linux Vendor Firmware Service
For several months now, Linux has been on a positive trend, and Lenovo and Dell’s加入... to the Linux Vendor Firmware Service is another encouraging signal from two giants in the computer industry. Here’s what you need to know about this announcement.
Dell and Lenovo are now officially the first two "Premier" sponsors of the Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS). They join the other sponsors, including the founders represented by the Framework brand and the Open Source Firmware Foundation, as well as other players such as the Linux Foundation and Red Hat.
The move by two PC heavyweights to become "Premier" sponsors is no small matter. It means that Lenovo and Dell will support LVFS, including financially. In concrete terms, Dell will have to contribute $100,000 per year, just like Lenovo. As the highest sponsorship tier, it also comes with benefits:
- Up to 1,500 updates can be uploaded each month to the LVFS portal
- On the computer side, and therefore for end users, the quota is also much higher: up to 10 million downloads per month.
Lenovo and Dell will also be able to request custom features to be implemented.
What Is the Role of the Linux Vendor Firmware Service?
What is the Linux Vendor Firmware Service for? Why are Dell and Lenovo choosing to become "Premier" sponsors?
The Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS) acts as a centralized repository that allows hardware manufacturers (such as Dell, Lenovo, or Framework) to officially distribute their firmware updates for Linux systems. Until now, Dell and Lenovo were already doing this, but without supporting the program.
Its main role is to simplify hardware lifecycle management: paired with the open source fwupd daemon installed on client systems, it allows administrators and users to update the BIOS, UEFI, and firmware on their peripherals easily, directly from the operating system.
"The LVFS only provides firmware once the original manufacturer has joined the project and uploaded the files itself. The original manufacturer has full control over supported models and is the only entity authorized to add support for new hardware.", we can read on the LVFS website.
What you should remember is that LVFS standardizes hardware updates on Linux. It is therefore essential for brands considering offering Linux machines, because it helps improve hardware support on Linux.
Dell and Lenovo have already been offering Linux or Linux-compatible machines for years. I am thinking in particular of certain Dell models that can be shipped with Windows 11 or Ubuntu, depending on the choice made at the time of purchase.
There is a good chance that this commitment to offering Linux will become even more pronounced in the future. In any case, that is what this move to join LVFS as a "Premier" sponsor suggests. LVFS is also important for Dell and Lenovo in order to deliver a high-quality experience to buyers of Linux machines.
What do you think?
