[KLUG Advocacy] re: DRM in every Samsung machine

[Adam Williams]

> Good points, Jamie, in an article way too long for me to try to quote.  
> He points out that a BIOS that only boots signed code  is compatible 
> with standard distros of Linux (negotiations with the companies 
> permitting, anyway), but not custom kernels.  For somebody to do any OS 
> programming, though, there will need to be "development machines" or 
> something with that restriction disabled.  

Or they use something like User-Mode-Linux or VMware;  which is what OS
developers already do anyway.

> Somebody's gotta write these 
> programs, and while they're being debugged they won't be signed.  Sounds 
> to me like a worst case scenario is a black market in development 
> machines that the big boys don't want anybody but actual developers to 
> have.

Or as a developer you can buy a signing certificate, or one comes with
your compiler; and it signs an app to run just on your local machine.

>   If this signed code stuff makes it to the application level too, 
> probably with OS support, then it should be fairly easy to get your 
> hands on one that's unlocked.  There are way too many legitimate 
> programmers out there for anybody to be able to keep track of all the 
> unlocked machines without quite a few slipping through the cracks. 

Nah, you just introduce a third-party (required for really useful DRM
anyway).  Just like in SSL client, server, & authority.  If the
authority doesn't verify your key exchange, your done.  No need to
police "development" machines.

> Yes, I'm talking about illegal violations of license agreements, but not 
> immoral violations. 

Does it matter?  One can do immoral things all day long,  immorality has
no consequence.  Then break the law.   It bieng illegal will stop
corporate use cold, and Linux will die, sure and fast.