Re: DRM vs. Privacy

[olafBuddenhagen]

Hi,

> If I ask your machine "are you running an authentic Coyotos", then I
> know whether you are running the Coyotos TCB. If you are, then I know
> that you are running my (i.e. me personally) implementation of the
> metaconstructor. If that is true, then I know the properties of the
> constructors executing on your system.
> 
> You can swap the metaconstructor if you like, and the new system may
> be perfectly good, but it will not be able to certify itself as an
> unmodified Coyotos system. I can't stop you from doing this (and I
> don't want to), but I can observe that it has been done if you answer
> the authentication query at all.

Note that this is a very problematic feature: It allows other to
actively put pressure on me not to change the system. I'm pretty sure
Richard will vehemently object to this in anything running under the GNU
flag, and I very much hope all Hurd developers will agree.

Moreover, such a feature is useful only if the system actually
implements means to (partially) put the admin and users of the system
out of control. Again, this is against GNU philosophy.

Note that GNU has never supported the "freedom" to trade away you
freedom. This is a very fundamental issue people regularily fail to
understand. (Also in other contexts, like licensing.) I hope we do not
need to start a philosophical debate about that here.

In short: Forget about anything like this being implemented in the Hurd.

-antrik-