iPod Linux lock-out defeated (PC Pro)

Posted Sep 17, 2007 16:14 UTC (Mon) by bluss (guest, #47454)
In reply to: iPod Linux lock-out defeated (PC Pro) by hpp
Parent article: iPod Linux lock-out defeated (PC Pro)

> Do we have any indication at all that this change by Apple was ever intended to lock out competing programs (e.g. on Linux) feeding an iPod?

The indication is that the hash was not based only on the database; it was the hash of a blob of database data combined with some kind of device-specific id number and some secret sauce (a "formerly secret number", as mentioned in the article). If data integrity was the only concern, then the database would be the only thing to hash.

iPod Linux lock-out defeated (PC Pro)

Posted Sep 17, 2007 17:01 UTC (Mon) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link]

Then it's not even a half-harted attempt at DRM, is it? I mean it doesn't do anything to stop people from copying files off the device, does it?

It's just a half-assed, and very blatent, attempt at lock-in. Similar to, say, if a software vendor had some sort of hash restriction on a file format.. say for a CAD drawing or something. Except this is just a hardware device instead of a file format.

So if there is no attempt to protect against any sort of copyright violation then there is no tie in to the DMCA... right? So it's legal to include in US-destined software.

Just speculating, I am no lawyer.