Re: SSSCA: We're in trouble now

[Petro <petro@auctionwatch.com>]

On Fri, Mar 01, 2002 at 06:59:27PM -0800, Paul G. Allen wrote:
> Florian Weimer wrote:
> > 
> > Shawn Starr <spstarr@sh0n.net> writes:
> > 
> > > Linux doesnt use the BIOS if you tell it not to, if it can avoid using
> > > it. It will :)
> > 
> > The problem is that if you don't follow the Trusted Computing Platform
> > Alliance booting procedure, you won't see much mass-compatible content
> > on the Internet any longer.
> > 
> > The solution is simple: go and create your own content, and share it
> > with your friends. But you won't get Hollywood movies this way.
> > 
> 
> Not watching Hollywood movies sure won't end my life. I can do without
> them, and I'm sure eventually many other people will realize they can
> too. I already know many that stopped going to movies when the price hit
> $6.00 (it's $8.50 here now), and several that stopped buying and renting
> them as well.

    Sure, but then if Linux cannot (for either legal men-with-guns reasons
    or technical reasons) utilize this content, you lose at the desktop. 

    And if Linux cannot serve this traffic, you lose at the server. 

    And then you lose the critical support many of the people working on
    it who need to do this stuff to make money. 

    If this becomes law, Linux in some fashion will support it. IBM and
    the like are (or will be) making too much money off it not to.
  
    And if the government tells you how or what to do with the contents
    of your computer, you will because if the financial interests are
    strong enough, the laws will get passed, the constitutions will get
    modified, and the courts will accept it. 

    And then you have two choices.

    Do what they tell you, or go to jail. (Well, there is a third
    choice, but it would best not be discussed here). 

-- 
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