RE: Microsoft's plans to kill open source: TCPA
I've read that FAQ, and have to say I'm unimpressed. As I've stated
before, there are only two routes to control information: control the
container, or control the conduits.
It's really hard to control the container because people are smart, and
generally ornery sons-of-bitches. Containers can (and will) be broken,
despite the legality of it. I think that this is even more likely since
TCPA container's security policies are controlled remotely - and that is
much worse than a static security policy. These are going to be some
*really* well motivated ornery sons-of-bitches!
I think this tech is great for internal company use, actually. A company
(or government agency) is well within it's rights to have absolute
dictatorial control over every computer they own. But this policy is
intolerable if applied to every citizen.
Assuming that Fritz doesn't get his way, TCPA containers don't even have
to be cracked. You can just choose not to buy one. You just might have a
hard time listening to certain music and watching certain movies. And to
be honest, why is that so goddamn important? A musician or movie
production company wants to make money. If they think they can get away
TCPA-enabled content, then let them try. Last I checked listening to
Brittany Spears and watching Santa Claus 2 was pretty low on Maslow's
hierarchy of needs.
To summarize, TCPA is neither good nor evil (it is neutral, like all
technology). In the context of a business, it could be good. In the
context of all computer users, it is certainly evil. Finally, like all
container technologies, it can and will be cracked. Therefore rather
than worry about TCPA itself, I would worry about fuckheads like Fritz
Hollings who is working to turn the TCPA into an instrument of evil.