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Coursey on Palladium

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the impressive-PR-skills dept.

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.

4 of 460 comments (clear)

  1. done already isn't it? by Bazman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    On the X-box? You can only run signed programs. Modifying the X-box is a circumvention of a device that's illegal under the DMCA. All Microsoft has to do is port Office and IE to the X-box and voila. Dump Windows and get the masses using X-boxen for their secure and safe computing needs....

    Baz

  2. Re:Interesting by aredubya74 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem with this thinking is that many American consumers remain entirely ignorant about what's under the hood as far as their OS is concerned. From Windows 3.11 to Windows XP, if it came on the PC, it was called "Windows", and it just sort of was there. Thus, if PC retailers buy in to Palladium, the vast majority of consumers will pick it up too. MS will get their cash, the [RI||MP]AA will get their DRM-based OS, and a lot of folks will get screwed in the process.

    Rest assured, those of us that build our own systems will rely on Linux and non-DRM'ed Windows (if available). But for the masses, they take what they get, and they use it.

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    RW

  3. Trusted Computing by gowen · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Remember, Trusted Computing means that large corporations get to trust your hardware because they don't trust you...

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  4. Re:Interesting by wiredog · · Score: 5, Insightful
    But that's what people said about the 'inevitable' success of DIVX! That American consumers cared not for the underlying tech, and would buy it if it was offered!

    They didn't buy it.

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    Best Slashdot Co