[TriLUG] On Topic - trusted computing vs Linux usability (was OT : Don't let Cheney hide)

Mike M no-linux-support at earthlink.net
Thu Oct 7 10:58:51 EDT 2004


On Thu, Oct 07, 2004 at 07:15:16AM -0700, Turnpike Man wrote:
> Now this is definitely ON topic!  :)  What is it about trusted computing that
> won't make Linux usable?

>From RMS:

Note: The word "treacherous" stands in for "trusted" in his article.

Treacherous computing puts the existence of free operating systems and
free applications at risk, because you may not be able to run them at
all. Some versions of treacherous computing would require the operating
system to be specifically authorized by a particular company. Free
operating systems could not be installed. Some versions of treacherous
computing would require every program to be specifically authorized by
the operating system developer. You could not run free applications on
such a system. If you did figure out how, and told someone, that could
be a crime.

(ref. http://www.newsforge.com/business/02/10/21/1449250.shtml?tid=19)

FWIW, this is a public forum sponsered by an organization that has
claimed certain priviledges under the US tax code.  The 
first amendment of the US Constitution upholds one's right to make
comments on this list because it is a public list.  If someone is bent 
on using this list as a political soapbox it cannot be stopped.  If you
do not like the politics, ignore the offending email and don't respond.

(ref. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/)

Heh. Phone just rang. It was a PAC for healthcare issues.  I told them
to go away.  PAC and candidates were exempted from the Do Not Call 
law recently upheld by the Supreme Court.  I think that helps make the
point.  I am subscribed to the phone network and I know that I will
get annoying political calls.  I simply use the delete function.

It is interesting that this thread is sumultaneously found concern
over too free OT speech and the threat of corporate efforts to limit
the abilities of our computers to communicate.
-- 
Mike

Moving forward in pushing back the envelope of the corporate paradigm.



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