Here's how: the chipsets are made by companies outside the US who use unknown methods to ensure their security (and the reliability of their employees). The only way to guarantee that those companies can't leak it, then, is to have a US-mandated and manufactured chip (made at a classified location). Suddenly, all the manufacturers need to use only that chip. Bingo, no innovation.
Frankly, though, arguing about stifling innovation is not necessary. The reason this is really scary is that there isn't any way to separate out the VoIP abilities. To have access to that, you MUST have access to all the other functionality on the machine.
Now, how long do holes like that stay unused by hackers? A day? Maybe two?
Now start thinking about what happens when your bank has machines with these holes. How about when the government itself uses machines with these holes (even if only accidentally)? There goes your house, your car, and all of your money.
Do you still feel safe? Do you still feel like working for a living?
This isn't quite as scary to me as Blair calling for the ability to strip people of their citizenship (and I'm not even British), but it's not a LOT less scary, either. (And that's before we start thinking about the likelihood of abuse.)
While I could certainly see that happening, there are a couple of problems. 1) How much would this cost Apple on the hardware side? Make no mistake, Apple is a hardware company, not a software one. 2) If they're going to switch to anyone, why not AMD? They make faster chips, and would probably give Apple a better deal, to boot. 3) If they're going to phase them in, why start with the mini? That thing's so new that they'd be throwing out most of the development costs from it.
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Seems like embedding the official URL in the mp3 metadata would be a good first step in establishing control.
Anyone thought about trying to patent the process of getting a business practice patent?
Here's how: the chipsets are made by companies outside the US who use unknown methods to ensure their security (and the reliability of their employees). The only way to guarantee that those companies can't leak it, then, is to have a US-mandated and manufactured chip (made at a classified location). Suddenly, all the manufacturers need to use only that chip. Bingo, no innovation.
Frankly, though, arguing about stifling innovation is not necessary. The reason this is really scary is that there isn't any way to separate out the VoIP abilities. To have access to that, you MUST have access to all the other functionality on the machine.
Now, how long do holes like that stay unused by hackers? A day? Maybe two?
Now start thinking about what happens when your bank has machines with these holes. How about when the government itself uses machines with these holes (even if only accidentally)? There goes your house, your car, and all of your money.
Do you still feel safe? Do you still feel like working for a living?
This isn't quite as scary to me as Blair calling for the ability to strip people of their citizenship (and I'm not even British), but it's not a LOT less scary, either. (And that's before we start thinking about the likelihood of abuse.)
While I could certainly see that happening, there are a couple of problems. 1) How much would this cost Apple on the hardware side? Make no mistake, Apple is a hardware company, not a software one. 2) If they're going to switch to anyone, why not AMD? They make faster chips, and would probably give Apple a better deal, to boot. 3) If they're going to phase them in, why start with the mini? That thing's so new that they'd be throwing out most of the development costs from it.
Much of what makes the act so insidious is that you won't know if it does.