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Open Firmware
open-in-new
<p>Open Firmware is a standard defining the interfaces of a computer <a href="/facts/Firmware/62UVKIUK">firmware</a> system, formerly endorsed by the <a href="/facts/Institute_of_Electrical_and_Electronics_Engineers/UddC4pUW">Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers</a> (IEEE). It originated at <a href="/facts/Sun_Microsystems/VJ9EzEFd">Sun Microsystems</a> where it was known as OpenBoot, and has been used by multiple vendors including <a href="/facts/Sun_Microsystems/VJ9EzEFd">Sun</a>, <a href="/facts/Apple_Inc./oTJYta3k">Apple</a>, <a href="/facts/IBM/QszA7nwd">IBM</a> and <a href="/facts/Arm_Holdings/jqqppj7b">ARM</a>. </p><p>Open Firmware allows a system to load <a href="/facts/Platform_(computing)/DmKwp5Bk">platform</a>-independent <a href="/facts/Device_driver/rDYnHU1G">drivers</a> directly from a PCI device, improving compatibility. </p><p>Open Firmware may be accessed through its <a href="/facts/Command_line_interface/R9JpGmXQ">command line interface</a>, which uses the <a href="/facts/Forth_programming_language/mYtWVNhF">Forth programming language</a>. </p>