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A Conversation with Cory Doctorow and Hal Stern

Posted by Zonk on from the less-magic-kingdom-more-cathedral-and-bazaar dept.

ChelleChelle writes "In a rare meeting, popular sci-fi writer and co-editor of the blog Boing Boing Cory Doctorow and Sun VP Hal Stern consider the open source approach. The resulting interview deals with the pros and cons of going open source, as well as the issues of security and privacy. From the article: 'It seems to me that one of the big problems with the filters you've just identified is who gets to set policy in the machine. As a science fiction writer, I am offended by sci-fi movies where it turns out that the rocket ship has a self-destruct button, it has been pressed by accident, and now the whole thing is going to explode. ... By the same token, I often wonder whether trusted computing architectures that allow remote parties to enforce policy on your hardware are a good idea. Although we can imagine beneficent examples of this, this is what spyware is, by definition, right? Spyware is remote parties setting policies on your computer against your wishes. Is it ever a good idea?'"

10 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. Cory Doctorow by solferino · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Cory Doctorow. Biggest self promoter, ever.

    1. Re:Cory Doctorow by maxume · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Enthusonaut."

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
    2. Re:Cory Doctorow by DwarfGoanna · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Bummer I don't have mod points today.
        I sometimes wonder if Cory and Xeni Jardin have hit on some sort of self-satirical performance art, and we're just not in on the joke.

      --

      "You know why you do not see me styling wit my homies? Because I have no homies!!" -Mojo Jojo

    3. Re:Cory Doctorow by maxume · · Score: 2, Funny

      In case you missed it:

      http://xkcd.com/c239.html
      http://flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/437389857/i n/photostream/

      (via http://www.waxy.org/links/ btw)

      So the answer to your question is probably that the joke isn't(particularly, anyway) funny.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  2. Re:Cory's shirt by PerlDudeXL · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://paizo.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Store.woa/19/w a/browse?path=store/apparel/tShirts/offworldDesign s/v5748btpy7rmu&wosid=5t479QhI8uSZwaO0CHUAww

  3. Don't lend Trusted computing legitimacy by Zombie+Ryushu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    TCPA and DRM (Especially Palladium) are not means of improving computer security. They are there to subvert the ownership of users of technology in favor of powerful companies. DRM isn't going to safe guard medical records. And TCPA isn't going to stop a space ship from Self Destructing.

    What will help computer security are good security practices.

    At my house, everyone logs in to a Linux powered Domain, LDAP coated in SSL for Authorization, Kerberos for Authentication. Traffic (especially Wifi) encapsulated with IPSec. SE Linux policies in place. Directory service authorized Radius Server with MySQL server Accounting, and cataloged MAC Addresses in OpenLDAP. These are good security policies. Everyone should have some variation of this.

    If I were on a space ship, I damned well better be able to secure my systems against unauthorized access. But DRM and TCPA do not make this happen.

    1. Re:Don't lend Trusted computing legitimacy by maxume · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I suppose you run your air conditioner 8 months of the year, as opening a window would be security madness.

      Good security practice starts with a question: "What am I protecting?". If it isn't particularly valuable, you don't spend a lot of money(or time) securing it.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
    2. Re:Don't lend Trusted computing legitimacy by Optikschmoptik · · Score: 2, Funny

      At my house, everyone logs in to a Linux powered Domain, LDAP coated in SSL for Authorization, Kerberos for Authentication. Traffic (especially Wifi) encapsulated with IPSec. SE Linux policies in place. Directory service authorized Radius Server with MySQL server Accounting, and cataloged MAC Addresses in OpenLDAP. These are good security policies. Everyone should have some variation of this.

      Seriously, has your family tried to kill you, or maybe send you to a therapist?

      If they haven't, you should thank them for being so patient. Most people I know are far too annoyed to bother with password-protecting their windows account, let alone participate in such tinfoil-hat activities as encrypting their wireless signals.

    3. Re:Don't lend Trusted computing legitimacy by beyondkaoru · · Score: 2, Interesting

      his security setup is pretty transparent; it doesn't compare well to the air conditioner. what he suggests doesn't seem like it'd be that hard to set up, and once it's set up you act pretty much as you would normally. a non-paranoid person would wonder why the setup is there, but could use it roughly as easily as you would any other setup.

      --
      the privacy of one's mind is important.
      you do have something to hide.
  4. Somebody had to do it by Misanthrope · · Score: 2, Funny

    http://xkcd.com/c239.html

    On the bright side, Cory is using an analogy that might spark some brain cells in the semi-joe sixpack crowd.