The Linux kernel and digital rights management

Posted May 1, 2003 15:38 UTC (Thu) by proski (subscriber, #104)
In reply to: The Linux kernel and digital rights management by mrshiny
Parent article: The Linux kernel and digital rights management

Why do you think that the copyright holder will do the signing? If the Xbox Linux team wants to run Linux on Xbox, are they asking Linus to sign it? No! They are asking Microsoft, because only Microsoft can put the signature that would allow Xbox to run the kernel.

Linus "does not want to be in a position of saying what can or cannot be done with the Linux kernel", but he could end up in the position when he is told what he can or cannot do with the kernel in order to get certified and enable running Linux on DRM-crippled platforms.

There are better ways to protect software from trojans. I have nothing against warning users that the software has no signature, but I'm against forcing them to use signed software, especially if I wrote the software in the hope that the users will improve it and enjoy the software freedom.