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Major PC Makers Adopt Trusted Computing Schema
An anonymous reader wrote to let us known about a News.com story regarding so-called trusted computing, and its adoption by the major PC manufacturers. From the article: "The three largest computer makers--Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM--have started selling desktops and notebooks with so-called trusted computing hardware, which allows security-sensitive applications to lock down data to a specific PC." Interestingly, while Microsoft is said to be behind the idea support won't be forthcoming for trusted computing until they release Longhorn next year, making this a hardware-vendor lead initiative.
Hug my mac tightly tonight, and trust it to only have one master: me.
ShortFormBlog: Writing a little. Saying a lot.
...that was the sound of me moving from x86 to PPC.
(As long as debian keeps up support.)
Trustworthy computing... brought to you by a monopolist convicted using anti-trust laws.
So if you want your computer to have to ability to say to you, "Sorry, I won't play that MP3 file" or "Sorry, that movie is not authorized for this PC," well step right up.
Well, I'll buy it only if it says those things in that cool HAL 9000 voice...
I'll turn into a supernova and burn up everything. Well I'll turn into a black little hole and you'll turn into string.
It's going to be so nice, knowing that my data in my PC can't be taken away, erased, trashed, or otherwise caused to be lost. This will keep my stuff secure, for me.
Finally, I'll be able to trust my computer.
Bad geek, bad geek...
What'cha gonna do?
What'cha gonna do when your new hardware won't boot Linux for you?
The REAL jabber has the user id: 13196
What you do today will cost you a day of your life
Trust the computer!
---- Take the Space Quiz!
We won't restrict you to one operating system!
You can choose from Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, AND Windows XP.
Heck we've even got some old Windows 3.1 disks here if you want 'em. How's that for choice?!
Of course 90% of future computer viruses will be spread on the "secure global information network".
(holds up Jedi hand....)
..........nothing to see here.....
...............these aren't the droids you're looking for......
......you may pass.........
:(
This is a trusted computer....
Good thing those repressive commie Chineese support IP rights so strongly! People in other countries aren't so much stupid consumers as Americans. It'll take like 30 seconds for some manufacturer in Taiwan to come out with a DRM-free motherboard and own the market.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
> "Well, I'll buy it only if it says those things in that cool HAL 9000 voice..."
<voice type=5-yr-old-girl pitch=High> Sorry, HAL 9000 voice files are not authorized for this PC </voice>
No need to worry yet: AFAIUnderstand, the news is mostly about a chip that holds the private key and generates the key pair on demand.
An (external) device like this might come in handy if there is a break-in and hop... the public key is undamaged, the system alerts, the intruder is screwed (no log deletion etc.). However, I wonder how long will it take to make the chip obsolete (the criptography evolves, the chip does not!).
The chip is shipped for some time now with (some) IMB laptops, and has a GPL driver and Linux support.
And btw, IBM, one of the adopters, is not interested in "one OS to rule them all". Look: MS forcedly dominates, prices rize, IT budgets rise, no one buys IBM's Iron.
Moreover, IBM is interested in commodization of OS market. They've spent billions on Linux and OSS, and they are reaping the reward -- increased demand in servers and services.
WYSIWIG, but what you see might not be what you need