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No DRM for Apple in Intel-based Macs

Posted by Zonk on from the different-sides-of-the-story dept.

JWeinraub writes "OfB is reporting that, contrary to widely-published and discussed rumors, Apple is not including the controversial Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip in its Intel-based Macs. An anonymous registered Apple developer claims that the Apple x86 test boxes do not have DRM or TCPA components." From the article: "As to why those with access to the kits have been quiet concerning the claims, our source said, 'you can rest assured that Apple is keeping very close tabs on those of us who have them.' The kits are only available to those who accept a non-disclosure agreement."

3 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'm still confused by Jackdaw+Rookery · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I doubt that you're going to get a definitive answer until the MacTels are released.

    The chip is in *some* of the dev kits. That's all we know for sure. The rest is rumour.

    Is it on all dev kits?
    Is it enabled?
    Is it enforced if enabled?
    Will it make it onto the released kit?

    Simple answer: Dunno.

  2. Re:Anonymous truth by gnasher719 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Wow - so regardless that the dev kits contain the code and the mobo's contain the chip, an anonymous developer said they don't have them?

    Well obviously the anonymous developer must be right; after all - who can argue with anonimity?"

    I am quite sure that everybody who claimed to have seen some chip on an Apple devkit machine has done so anonymously, and so has anybody who claimed to have taken a photo of an Apple devkit motherboard. Because if they put their name to it, Apple will jump on them so hard that they never recover.

    So for all we know, the guys who claim to have seen any DRM chip could be complete idiots who have never been anywhere near an Intel Mac. In any case, they are in breach of an NDA, therefore not trustworthy. If they breach their contract with Apple, what makes you think they would tell _you_ the truth?

  3. Re:This flies in the face of reality by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, Insightful
    You can run any operating system on your PowerBook that's compiled for it. Many versions of GNU/Linux for example will install without problems.

    I believe there are versions of Windows NT 4 that work with older Macs, I don't know about newer ones as there was a change in firmware architecture shortly after Microsoft stopped supporting the PowerPC version of NT 4.

    There's a difference between third parties not necessarily supporting hardware, and that hardware locking them out.

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.