[ale] A Palladium FAQ (from an un-Disneyed source)

[Irv Mullins]

On Sunday 30 June 2002 08:55 am, Glenn C. Lasher Jr. wrote:
> On Fri, 28 Jun 2002, Irv Mullins wrote:

> > I beleve the result of the 'Paladium' scheme will be a dramatic loss of
> > market share for Microsoft, Intel, the RIAA, etc. and a greatly increased
> > demand for computers, software, and 'content' manufactured overseas -
>
> As much as I hate the effect this will have on domestically made machines,
> I really, really hope you are right about the consumer backlash.  I
> remember the copy protection BS of the 80's, and it is clear that Bill
> Gates and Fritz Hollings and their cronies do not.

Let's consider a few things:

The economy is not so good right now, and the new 'Palladium'  - I've just 
seen it called  the 'Orwellian' - chip will add something to the cost of 
new PC's, as well as adding to the price of every piece of software 
which is 'certified' to run on that hardware.

Aside from the CIA and Osama's buddies, how many people are there 
who are:
1. willing to spend a lot of money to gain a bit of questionable security,
2. unaware of better and cheaper ways to obtain the same ends,
3. willing to allow Microsoft to censor what they see on the web,
4. foolish enough to think that Microsoft can produce secure software?

No doubt there will be a huge marketing push to sell people on the idea 
that they will be 'safe' from spam and viruses, but I expect that safety 
will be a transient thing - only a few days before someone breaks the 
system.

There may be an upside to this, however. Once 'content'  is completely 
copy-proof, I expect the RIAA to go out of business, along with a large 
percentage of the so-called 'music industry'.  Maybe then there will be 
some real choice on the CD racks, in place of the regurgitated pablum 
they now sell.

Regards,
Irv








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