safety-critical systems can use ROM

safety-critical systems can use ROM

Posted Oct 19, 2006 12:21 UTC (Thu) by nim-nim (subscriber, #34454)
In reply to: safety-critical systems can use ROM by bojan
Parent article: FSF should separate GPLv3 changes (Linux.com)

> Sadly, if manufacturers (PCs included) get pushed into DRM-or-nothing
> direction by big content providers, free software as defined by GPLv3 would
> simply not be an option as no manufacturer would give you their hardware
> keys

The power balance is not so simple. As other stated, manufacturers worry most about per-device cost.

Let them freely DRM-ize their existing and planed FLOSS-using products and they'll bow to content providers easily. Make the DRM-ization costly (requiring flash replacement by ROM, existing software replacement by other code, cutting future access to FLOSS code) and you bet manufacturers will fight tooth and nail against mandatory DRMs.

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