OT: M$ & hardware makers putting policeware in new computers...

[JohnL]

For a long time now, Hollywood, RIAA and the other media companies have been pushing for copy protection to be built into hardware devices. It looks as if M$, Intel, AMD, and others are going to make that dream come true.

Microsoft recent made a deal with Phoenix, the BIOS maker to tie Windows and the BIOS more closely together and Phoenix is planning to include DRM (Digital Rights Mangling) into the BIOS.

The companies are claiming that this will make computer systems safer from viruses and trojan horse program, but its real purpose is to protect the media companies by making sure nobody can copy anything they don't want being copied. Occasionally, it's mentioned that such DRM features can be made optional, but I predict that there will be no option to turn them off. They will be hard-coded to always-on. Even Windows Media Player 9 doesn't give you the option of not installing the DRM components and not having access to such content, installing them in mandatory.

To me, this is scarey stuff. Theoretically, it could pave the way for software that you have to pay a monthly fee for or it stops working. Or you might have to pay a fee each time you run it and if you don't, the hardware won't allow it to run. Or maybe M$ comes out with a new version of a program and suddenly your old one doesn't work anymore. I hope this never comes to pass, but I have a sinking feeling that this will be forced on computer users whether they want it or not. And with Micro$oft having its hooks in the BIOS, you can be pretty sure that only the latest version of Windows will run flawlessly, any other OS like Linux will suffer mysterious errors and problems.

ZDNet 1
ZDNet 2
ZDNet 3

[Mr_Vindictive]

Ack!
That's some scary stuff JohnL.

I certainly don't want Microsoft having anything to do with my BIOS.  The thought of it gives me chills.  But, being the nature of the motherboard and BIOS, I'm sure there will be a way to get around it.  Hell, the last attempt at making unburnable CDs was shot down by a kid who figured out that all you had to do was hit the Shift key during the burning process.  (Look on Fark.com for that info).

Isn't Microsoft's army of evil monkeys enough?  Or how about the fact that they own 100% of the shares of Evil now?

http://www.bbspot.com/News/2000/4/MS_Buys_Evil.html

http://bbspot.com/News/2000/5/MS_Linux_delay.html

[raj]

The shift key thing is also reported on cnn:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/10/08/bmg.protection.reut/index.html


I also found an interesting comment from a law professor's blog:
AT LUNCHTIME TODAY, I moderated a panel discussion on digital downloading and music, featuring a bunch of musicians, songwriters, and industry people from Nashville. Here's the scary bit: one of the industry guys said that their big legislative priority is to try to create a regime where you have to register with a unique, verifiable ID to access the Internet

http://instapundit.com/#011909

Keep your eyes on the RIAA, and which congressmen they buy, er contribute to.

[Jim Hepler]

"Hell, the last attempt at making unburnable CDs was shot down by a kid who figured out that all you had to do was hit the Shift key during the burning process. (Look on Fark.com for that info)."

they knew that when they made it.  The copy protection was only there to stop the casual pirates, the one who put in the disc and a CD-R and start up Easy CD Creator and say copy.  They know it is hopeless to stop the hard core pirates, and they see no reason to screw over legit customers (which some forms of copyright protection have - one type can't be played in MP3 CD players, DVD players, PCs, or car CD players).

[JohnL]

>I certainly don't want Microsoft having anything to do with my BIOS. The thought
>of it gives me chills.

I feel the same way!

>Hell, the last attempt at making unburnable CDs was shot down by a kid who
>figured out that all you had to do was hit the Shift key during the burning process.

Or turn off the CD Autorun option. It'll be harder to do that kind of thing when the DRM is built into the hardware.

[Fearless Freep]

Start The Revolution



Post Edited (10-10-03 00:25)

[JohnL]

>they knew that when they made it. The copy protection was only there to stop the
>casual pirates, the one who put in the disc and a CD-R and start up Easy CD
>Creator and say copy. They know it is hopeless to stop the hard core pirates,
>and they see no reason to screw over legit customers

However, in the "no good deed goes unpunished" category, the company that made that protection is now considering suing the guy who posted the instructions on how to bypass the protection.

Student faces suit over key to CD locks

[Andrew]

The DMCA is completely insane.  Hopefully, this will be the case that finally convinces the public of that.

[wickednick]

I don't know about you guys, but what I have just heard mentioned is one of the reasons I use a Mac.I can't stand Microsoft and there monopoly.I wouldn't doubt that if they really go through with this policeware, because its just going to give them a bigger monopoly on everything.

[JohnL]

>I don't know about you guys, but what I have just heard mentioned is one of the
>reasons I use a Mac.I can't stand Microsoft and there monopoly.I wouldn't doubt
>that if they really go through with this policeware, because its just going to give
>them a bigger monopoly on everything.

Unfortunately, Macs don't have as much support, same with Linux.

[Fearless Freep]

Unfortunately, Macs don't have as much support, same with Linux.

Depends on what sector you are talking about.  There is some speciality software like CAD software that is harder to fin under Linux, and some games I suppose, but for the most part, any sorta mainstream software you can find for Linux.

The troubling thing is that the excuse of 'no support' can become self-perpetuating as people use it to justify giving more and more money to the Microsoft Machine and then seem to wonder why stuff like this comes up

[Andrew]

> Unfortunately, Macs don't have as much support, same with Linux.

Not entirely true for Linux.  It has been a mature server environment for a long time now (Badmovies.org has always been on a Linux box.)  With a number of projects that have come out in recent years, it makes for a pretty darn good workstation for business too.

I much prefer a Samba box over a Windows 200X server.  The ability to log just about anything, along with its ability to run for MONTHS without a hitch is awesome.  And, when there is a problem, mostly it was in printing - often caused by a funky printer driver or goofy document.  Compare that to the issues I've seen running NT 4.0 Server, Windows 2000 Server, and my very limited experience with 2003 Server - I would never advise a company to dump a clump of money into a bunch of Microsoft servers.

[JohnL]

>Not entirely true for Linux. It has been a mature server environment for a long
>time now

True. In fact just recently, I read a leaked memo on the troubles of porting Hotmail from Unix/Linux to Microsoft servers.

But for the average person, Linux is completely foreign. You walk into CompUSA, Staples, Electronics Boutique and all the software is for Windows. You want to be able to play games on it, you need Windows.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not really a fan of Windows. Things about it drive me nuts, but I want to have the ability to easily find the software I want/need and to be able to play games. Unfortunately, that means using Windows.

[Jim H]

One can hope.  Scary that copying a movie to your hard drive to extract images from for a website like this is now illegal in America.

[Jim H]

Windows servers are often cheaper, at least in the short run.  It sounds silly, since Linux is free - but the linux administrators cost far more.