Re: Singularity: can't happen here

From: Adrian Tymes (wingcat@pacbell.net)
Date: Sat Sep 08 2001 - 19:03:56 MDT


Eugene Leitl wrote:
> On Sat, 8 Sep 2001, Adrian Tymes wrote:
> > You can take my Linux from my cold, dead backup disks...in the
> > extremely unlikely event you find them all, especially since more can
> > (and probably will) be made and hidden while you search.
>
> My new Zirkonium(tm) processor only executes digitally signed code by the
> One World IP Authority. You have to register nonapproved hardware.
> Resistance is futile. Yo criminal ass is busted.

Well, if it's really that extreme, I'll just download the patch from
LinOWIPA that tricks Zirkoniums into thinking everything's signed.
Illegal? Hell, yeah! Detectable from the outside? Hell, no! Even
under this, you've gotta have probable cause to search my house or
office and unveil the true nature of the equipment...and before *that*,
you've gotta have some reason to even notice me out of the crowd of
sheeple. Heck, if there's enough interest, the patch might even get
good enough at emulating Windows IP that even the user is
fooled...except maybe they'll notice the copy-protection thingie is
busted, and not stopping copies. IS says they'll look at it if the
user complains at all (and, honestly, not many people complain about
seemingly free bonus functionality), and puts it at the bottom of their
list whether or not they know what they're running.

Note that basically this scheme is already de facto for DVD players
outside the US, though mitigated by the commercial availablity of
region-settable players. (And inside the US, for DVD players owned by
those few who want titles not available region coded for the US.)



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Oct 12 2001 - 14:40:26 MDT