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Coursey on Palladium
lrose writes "Check out this story over at ZDNet -- Microsoft is developing a secure operating system to be combined with hardware doing public key cryptography. The DRM aspect reminds me of something I read about an imaginary day in the not-too-distant future, where you can no longer install Linux on your own box because you don't have the necessary rights." Coursey's column is quite interesting, bringing a lot more of the backstory behind Palladium into public view. While geeks have been following and worrying about the TCPA, Microsoft has been working to spin the story with assorted columnists and journalists, so that when it broke it would be in the context that Steven Levy bought into hook, line and sinker: a scheme to protect you rather than one to prevent you from using your computer in unapproved ways.
David Coursey is a blithering idiot. Surely you can't expect any better from him.
I agree with one of the "talkbacks" to the article.
The name associated with this type of hardware/software shuold be called NAZIWARE.
The justification is the potential that it has for controlling the masses. (Just like the Nazi's did)
Promote the term. It would be a PR fiasco.
I wouldn't worry too much about Apple taking over anytime soon. As far as freedom goes, if Apple had their choice they would be just like Microsoft except you would also have to get your hardware from them.
before you debate me on these points, please take the time to use a RH 7.x system with Ximian GNOME - install and usage really is simple for the avg. joe.
;P
I totally agree, but I wanted to point out that the same is true for SuSE 7.x and 8.x, and I've heard that Mandrake 8.x is very good as well. KDE3 is quite usable as well, and so far I consider it a significant improvement on KDE2, which I also liked.
I'm not trying to start a distro/desktop flamewar or anything, I just want to point out that Linux in general has reached the point where it is quite usable by the average person. The installs of the current offerings from any of the major commercial distros can be handled by anyone with even moderate knowledge of computers. In fact, since drivers and apps are included in the distros, installation is actually far simpler than with Windows.
My annecdotal evidence to back up this claim: I've done about 10 installs of SuSE Linux (7.1, 7.3, and 8.0) in the last year, and about 15 installs of Windows 2000 in that same time. On average, a full up-to-date install of Windows takes me about 4 times as long as an equivalent Linux install (2 hours v. 30 minutes). Most of that time difference is CD shuffling and rebooting. Especially irritating are the MS updates, many of which have to be installed individually, requiring a reboot and then a return to the update site for the rest, which may or may not have to be installed individually. This is not user friendly, and it certainly does nothing to encourage the average user to keep their system up-to-date. One might even suggest that this lack of a truelly user-frindly update system encourages the proliferation of the unsecured systems that periodically flood the internet with the windows-virus-of-the-month.
With SuSE, by contrast, I have no need to find the driver CDs for my hardware (when will vendors learn to put actual meaningful labels on their driver disks?) since the drivers are included on my install disk and the hardware is autodetected. I have no need to find and install all the apps that actually make my machine useful, since they are all included. I have no need to reboot my machine for every driver or app installed, since they are all installed with the base package. And when it's all installed, a few clicks of the mouse gets all of my installed packages updated.
By all accounts, a similarly painless experience is available from all the other major Linux vendors.
In either case, two years ago, I didn't think Linux was for anyone but developers. Now my mom can use it, and she's not even average when it comes to computer literacy. Linux has come so far in the last 2 years that I don't see how it can't go further. The user and developer bases are growing, and it looks like Linux is here to stay.
Stability and options have been here. Features (e.g. virtual desktops) have been here. Openness and freedom have been here. Ease of use is becoming more common, and the user base is growing. The only thing this Linux junkie sees missing is application/file-type support, but that is coming as well, and quickly.
I forsee Linux busting into the desktop market and becoming a serious contender within two years. Of course it will take time for a large change, but I think it's coming.
I couldn't have said it better myself. I expect to have about half of my immediate family (including in-laws) using Linux at least part time by the end of summer. So far, no problem, and if they can use it anybody can
Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.