Merge pull request #664 from Dasharo/blobs-faq

introduction.md: blobs FAQ

docs/osf-trivia-list/introduction.md

@@ -22,3 +22,50 @@ TODO: Explain how wrong is this question and why often there is no answer to it
 on mailing list.
 
 -->
+
+## `[OSFTQL0003]` Binary blobs - what are they? What do we need them for?
+
+Binary blobs are a term referring to proprietary, closed-source software
+components. They are called "blobs" because, unlike open-source code, you can't
+see their internal structure, nor verify their security; they are an
+undifferentiated mass (or "blob") of binary data. While often frowned upon in
+the Open Source community for being inauditable and suspicious, some are
+required by coreboot for most of the recent platforms.
+Here are some common types of binary blobs you might encounter when working
+with coreboot:
+
+* **CPU Microcode:**
+    - Modern CPUs often require microcode updates to fix bugs or security
+   vulnerabilities. These microcode updates are usually distributed as binary
+   blobs.
+
+* **Memory Initialization:**
+    - Some platforms require binary blobs for memory initialization. The code
+   that sets up the RAM is sometimes provided only in binary form by the
+   hardware manufacturer.
+
+* **Video BIOS:**
+    - The video BIOS (VBIOS) is a piece of firmware that initializes the
+   graphics hardware. In some cases, the VBIOS might be required to get
+   graphical output during the boot process.
+
+* **Management Engine (ME) Firmware (Intel platforms):**
+    - Intel's Management Engine is a controversial component required for
+   Intel systems to boot. It requires a binary blob.
+
+* **Platform Security Processor (PSP) Firmware (AMD platforms):**
+    - Similar to Intel's ME, AMD's Platform Security Processor (PSP) requires
+   binary firmware to function.
+
+* **Firmware Support Package (FSP) (Intel platforms):**
+    - Intel provides a Firmware Support Package (FSP) which is a binary blob
+   used to initialize the processor, memory, and chipset on some Intel
+   platforms.
+
+* **Embedded Controller (EC) Firmware:**
+    - The firmware for the embedded controller (which handles things like
+   power management, fan control, etc.) may also be a binary blob.
+
+To see in fine detail which are required for your platform of interest,
+please refer to
+[this coreboot wiki page](https://www.coreboot.org/Binary_situation).