Based on what I've read here... So tomorrow M$ and some group of
companies decide to put code encrypted on all motherboards that accesses
the Ethernet card directly and sends encrypted IP traffic once the unit
is up and the card has an address. OK, now the other motherboard
manufacturers fall in line due to financial constraints and we have big
brother running on our machines. Does this mean that I can't load my
GPLv3 software on this hardware? The motherboard manufacturers are not
going to fall all over themselves to remove this code because I want it
off or we can't run Linux on it. I think we should be thinking of ways
to get Linux running on more equipment not less.
By the way, the software I just described is offered by a company that
sells custom bios. There is a layer running under the OS in parallel
that can display the user's desktop to remote administrators. The
remote administrator can view the running processes in the OS and
suspend them etc. Just encrypt this stuff and hide it from the user and
big brother is alive and well.
I just don't see how GPLv3 will have the teeth to force the people
writing the software to bend to its will. I think it would be more
likely the case that companies will stop switching to Linux and do more
VxWorks or any other embedded OS that doesn't make such demands. (
Sorry jumped write into the embedded world. Of course M$ will just get
a larger body of revenue and we'll see Dell and the like stop sell Linux
on the desktop again. )
I cringe at all the possible ways 1984 is becoming reality. There are
too many people following blindly that allow our society down this
slippery slope while those of us thinking for ourselves are run over.
But Linux is not so popular as to be making the industry bend to its
will at this point. Perhaps that day will come and when it does the
licensing can force the industry to move. I just don't think we're there
yet. But I would like to see it. I could use some driver support. ;-)
Larry
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked
Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages
posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Fri Aug 01 2014 - 19:56:26 EDT