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FAQ

What BIOS Version can I install with my Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) Subscription on an apu2/3/4/6 motherboard?

When you subscribe to a Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) Pro Package for Network Appliance, the BIOS version updates available to you are determined by Dasharo's release cycle and testing scope.

  1. Upcoming BIOS Version: The next BIOS version that you will be able to install will most likely be tagged as 24.08.00.01. For detailed insights into the versioning scheme, please refer to the coreboot release notes here: Coreboot Release Notes as well as discussion about Dasharo Versioning.

  2. Test Scope: While the exact test scope for the upcoming BIOS version is currently being finalized, it will offer feature parity with version 4.19.0.1. The test scope for version 4.19.0.1, which might give you an idea of what to expect, can be found in this document: Dasharo Test Scope Document.

  3. Release Information: Detailed information about the release, including the scope and enhancements, will be communicated through our release newsletter. Additionally, all release notes and relevant updates will be made available on the Dasharo documentation site at Dasharo Release Documentation.

How much would it cost me to switch my subscription for Network Appliance from already purchased (coreboot+UEFI) to (coreboot+SeaBIOS)?

We can switch your subscription from Dasharo (coreboot+UEFI) Pro Package for Network Appliance to the Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) Pro Package for Network Appliance at no extra cost. This change can be made until the end of May 2024, but only if the purchase was made before the official (coreboot+UEFI) release which occurred on 2024-04-02.

If you are interested, please contact us at shopping@3mdeb.com and provide your order number.

The Dasharo (coreboot+UEFI) version is 0.9.x. Does this mean it is still in beta?

No, our policy for versioning is that we never release 1.x.y as a first release. We cannot validate it at the mass production readiness level. Validation results are always linked on the release page, or you can find those directly in Google Sheet. We switch to v1.x.y when volume reaches critical mass, and we can assure there is a certain level of compatibility and long enough time passed to report most critical issues.

You should always check test results and decide if you need an updated firmware version and if provided results cover your workload. We don't know your workload, so we cannot production readiness level. Current test results can be good enough for one customer to run production workloads. It may be insufficient for others and would be considered beta. We are happy to extend our test scope to cover more cases. Let us know about your use case in dasharo-issues.

Why is Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) more expensive than Dasharo (coreboot+UEFI)?

There are many reasons for that. Most importantly, more resources are needed to maintain code and releases. First, we have a fork of SeaBIOS. Second, we have sortbootorder depends on coreboot toolchain changes and libpayload. Third, tests are in legacy infrastructure with ongoing migration to OSFV; even if migrated, we have too little Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) supported hardware to benefit from the effect of scale because Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) components do not easily benefit from Dasharo (coreboot+UEFI) changes price have to be higher.

Dasharo (coreboot+SeaBIOS) was 50% discounted for quite some time before its first release.

We understand that it can be expensive for individual customers, so we are always open to providing discounts for those who contribute to the project meaningfully. The following tiers are eligible for discounts of up to 100%:

  • Beta Testers
    • 100% discount for the time of being active Beta Tester.
  • Top 5 active members on Dasharo Matrix and Dasharo Github Issues- 100% discount for 1 year.
  • Code contributors, testers, and issue reporters - depends on severity and size of contributions.