Re: pIII Serial (or lack there-of)

James R Bruce (bruce+@andrew.cmu.edu)
Wed, 13 Oct 1999 22:26:39 -0400 (EDT)


> I was playing around with the cpuid instruction today and noticed newer
> versions of Linux disable the pIII serial number without any sort of "Yes
> I want to disable this" anywhere.. I had to go hack
> /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/kernel/setup.c :( I was wondering why the pIII
> serial is so dangerous we aren't even allowing the OPTION to leave it
> enabled..

I think the fact that there aren't currently any useful applications of
the serial number is a likely reason for not bothering to put it in as
an option. Any software that requires it would require a PIII, and if
the software can deal with not having it on other CPUs there isn't any
compelling reason it is needed anyway.

Though perhaps it should be an option just because someone *might* want
to use it...

Intel claimed at some point that it was for identification for eCommerce
and similar applications, which is a pretty stupid reason since any
layer between the CPU and the network card could easily fake another
serial number. Crippleware seems to be the only reasonable use in
commercial apps.

- Jim

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