Microsoft's Treacherous Computing

[John Sullivan]

Microsoft is trying some strange skullduggery with its partners in
Treacherous Computing.

Treacherous Computing is an open conspiracy of computer manufacturers
with Hollywood, intended to turn your future computers into a platform
for DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) that software cannot bypass.
Not satisfied with laws like the DMCA[1] that make free software such
as DeCSS illegal, they seek to make it impossible as well.

To cloud the issue, they cite various side issues (such as
vaguely-defined "security") as goals.  They are also producing a list
of vague principles that reject some of the malicious uses of the
system (but not the principal malicious use, which is DRM itself).
But Microsoft is stalling publication of the list[2], which suggests
it plans to implement some of those rejected malicious uses too.

[1] http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/
[2] http://news.com.com/Something+fishys+going+on/2010-7350_3-5844412.html


-- 
John Sullivan
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