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.

Comments

Re:How about...

[Alsee]

You are talking like Trusted Computing is somehow *not* targeted to take over every home desktop.

Microsoft has publicly announced that only Trusted Compliant hardware will be Windows Compatible. Microsoft has publicly announced that even on Trusted Compliant hardware, it will only operate with reduced crippled interface if it is not in Trusted mode. So if it is even able to run *at all* on a normal PC, it will at best only run with a reduced crippled interface.

Once the next version of Windows is rolled out, not a single PC supplier is going to be selling anything EXCEPT Trusted Compliant machines. Trying to manufacture and sell PC hardware that is *NOT* Windows Compatible is economic suicide.

And within a year after the new Trusted Windows roolout, once you start to get a signifigant install base of Trusted machines, you will begin running into new ordinary websites that are only viewable on a Trusted machine in Trusted mode. The percentage of such websites will rapidly increase over time as people replace their aging machines and are simply handed a Trusted Compliant machine with the latest greatest Windows OS.

Websites that will only be viewable on a Trusted machine becuase with the Trust system they can prevent you from running any sort of ad blocker or popup blocker. Becuase with the Trust system they can lock out copying the images or text. Because with the Trust system they can block out any attempt to "deep link" into the site. Because with the Trust system they can certifiably track you. There are countless reasons ordinary websites wil start using the Trust system, but I think enforcing all sorts of ad stuff will be the biggie, and that alone means you will end up locked out of a substantial portion of the internet if you do not "volunatrily" use compliant hardware and run under Trusted Computing lockdown.

You won't even be able to surf the web without getting screwed over if you try to resist trusted Computing. And then of course you won't be able to instal and "activate" an increasing percentage of commercial software except under Trusted Computing.

Yes, they plan to start with targeting the businesses market. It's a big complex rollout and it's going to be about geting an initial install base and expanding that install base. You're not going to see any of the ugly aspects of the system with the early phases and the deliberate adoption by businesses and others. You only see the ugly aspects when everyone who replaces a new computer is simply HANDED a compliant system with the lastest greatest Windows OS. You only start seeing the ugly aspects of the system when there is a substantial install base. When there is a substantial instal base then ordinary websites can start using it, and when that happens it effectively becomes mandatory for everyone. The newest business applecations and games will only install on the latest version of Windoes, and only with a Trusted installation and registration, and will only run in Trusted compliant mode.

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