Re: Flame Linus to a crisp!

Daniel Phillips
2003-04-26T21:46:31Z

On Friday 25 April 2003 19:37, Werner Almesberger wrote:
> Daniel Phillips wrote:
> > I imagine the likelihood of people running completely separate DRM Linux
> > boxes, just to participate in DRM-controlled online games, is not high.
>
> You could still dual-boot, as many people do today.

Only neanderthals dual-boot ;-)

> > the whole concept is inherently fragile, there are just too many parts
> > involved.
>
> ... and companies relying on DRM are likely to distrust Linux for
> every single such flaw that is found. They'll put up with Windows,
> because they have to.

Companies relying on DRM are candidates for Darwin awards, IMHO. However,
the pure technical challenge of trying to make DRM work for something,
somehow, sometime might be enough to get decent support on Linux. I wonder
if the Quake thing is interesting enough to motivate anyone. It could be
advertised as "the only place you'll ever get a fair fight".

Maybe DRM support is a way for some Linux vendor to differentiate themselves.
Now... DRM in Debian? Sounds like an oxymoron. I certainly won't be asking
for it.

> It all makes sense - in some ugly, twisted way.

What seems to be missing is the motivation to get exited about it. Seems to
me, I've never bought or played a copy-protected CD, or video disk (took a
pass on the whole video disk thing, didn't regret it) or anything else, and
it's not because I'm a fanatic about it, it's just that it never made sense.

The whole DRM thing is likely to land with a dull thud and be as forgotten as
8 track tapes. It's all just too clunky, and there's nothing in it for the
consumer.

Regards,

Daniel