Building a free future in embedded devices
Building a free future in embedded devices
Posted Oct 19, 2006 20:04 UTC (Thu) by cventers (guest, #31465)In reply to: Building a free future in embedded devices by sepreece
Parent article: Free gadgets need free software
Well, I suppose you're right about it not being a proprietary fork in the
sense that would offend commercial contribution -- perhaps I step too far
there. But I still think GPLv3 is important and relevant here because in a
licensing structure that permits Tivoization, no counter-incentive exists
for manufacturers wishing to make use of free software.
And again - I stress that GPLv3 can't crack this DRM issue all by itself,
but to the extent that it might possibly do better than GPLv2, I think it
is quite important.
Posted Oct 19, 2006 21:10 UTC (Thu)
by bronson (subscriber, #4806)
[Link] (1 responses)
What?! The most effective counter-incentive is the free market. Always has been, always will be. If a device doesn't make its customers happy, customers won't buy it. Anyone who thinks that the GPLv3 is the customer's last defense against the evil DRM manufacturers is simply deluding himself.
Think about DRM-fettered devices... TiVO has become mostly irrelevant in the PVR market. It's being eaten on the high end by Myth and Sage boxes and on the low-end by Comcast's junk. Customers have voted with their feet. If TiVO had been more open with their hardware, I think they would still be selling a ton of boxes. But, no, they were greedy and are now getting what they deserve.
Let's say Apple wants to produce an iPod that only plays iTunes music. Even with all the DRM in the world, could they? Not successfully. Would the GPLv3 affect Apple's decision? Not in the slightest.
Adding controversial, divisive, and poorly-understood wording to a widely-used license to try to protect against a problem that may or may not even exist... That sounds like a clear-cut case of overengineering to me.
Posted Oct 19, 2006 21:32 UTC (Thu)
by cventers (guest, #31465)
[Link]
in a licensing structure that permits Tivoization, no counter-incentive exists for manufacturers wishing to make use of free software.
Building a free future in embedded devices
I think you are making the mistake of confusing hardware DRM with, say, Building a free future in embedded devices
content DRM. Apple couldn't get away with making an iPod that only played
iTunes music, but they could certainly get away with making an iPod that
only ran Apple-signed firmware.
That's the important distinction. I am like you in this way - I believe
the free market is _vastly_ powerful and will disrupt content DRM
completely. I'm eagerly awaiting the mass purchase of Zune players, for
instance, because I know lots of iTunes customers that are about to lose
their lunch when they realize that their paid-for "MP3s" won't play on
their new "MP3 player" because what they were sold is actually proprietary
DRM-laden crap.