[8344] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: copy protection
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ray Dillinger)
Mon Dec 25 13:50:37 2000
Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2000 09:39:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Ray Dillinger <bear@sonic.net>
To: Jay Holovacs <holovacs@idt.net>
Cc: Eugene.Leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de, Lenny Foner <foner@media.mit.edu>,
cryptography@c2.net
In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.20001225091633.00a9ce80@pop3.idt.net>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.21.0012250933470.26808-100000@bolt.sonic.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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On Mon, 25 Dec 2000, Jay Holovacs wrote:
>At 01:23 AM 12/25/2000 +0100, Eugene.Leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de wrote:
>>Don't tell me I can't find a crypto-free mass storage
>>vendor.
>
>I expect the approach will make the software refuse to install on
>noncompliant disks. They already have extensive equipment requirements,
>adding compliant disks to the list (especially when virtually all machines
>are shipping with them) is trivial.
I had to laugh when I read this, because all the software I use is
opensource. I just can't see a future where open source software
refuses to install on anything. But then I thought about it -- The
simple fact that opensource users won't have a problem means that
opensource users won't revolt. It's the commercialware users that
will have a problem -- but if the transition is handled fairly
smoothly (ie, the drives are out about two years before software
that requires them starts appearing) they won't revolt until it's
too late.
One thing that the music distributors are going to have to deal
with sooner or later is a simple principle of economics; merchandise
with zero marginal cost tends eventually toward zero marginal profit.
Bear
