Re: [SLUG] Linus interview

From: steve szmidt (steve@szmidt.org)
Date: Mon Mar 13 2006 - 21:41:17 EST


On Monday 13 March 2006 20:00, Larry Brown wrote:
> 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

No. if they could do THAT, you'd never run ANY version of Linux. Remember, MS
lobbied congress trying to get OSS banned all together. If there was any
feasable way they would have done it already. Not to say new ways don't show
up.

Let's say they convert all these Chineese manufacturers to DRM. You are going
to have other companies not in as strong position as they currently big ones,
try to find a way to corner a market.

> 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.

Who's trying ot make it run on 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. )

[O.T. Not that Dell really do that in a very big scale anyway. The problem
with Dell and Linux is that Dell is a just in time company. They build what
is needed just in time to deliver. That means a highly optimized production
line.

It's very expensive for them to make a small percentage of Linux boxes. ]

> 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

Oh, not even vaguely true. Linux is the difference between having viability
and a competitive edge, vs being run over, to a lot of companies worldwide.

IBM is a good example of this. In 2002 they invested 1 billion dollars into
Linux related growth and changes. After a year they said they made the money
back in improved viability, income etc.

The golden egg for IBM had been for a few decades to have an O/S that would
run across all of their platforms. OS/2 was supposed to be that, but it was
not good enough. When they realized that Linux was the solution they went
full speed ahead in their implementation.

Many small companies have similar issues where they cannot compete without a
good O/S built in. Many, many hardware manufacturers are opening their doors
to allow OSS developers in to be compatible.

> 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. ;-)

Yeah, not all have seen the light yet. FUD from MS and company is certainly
not helping.

Going back to 1984, the Patriot Act has made that a reality. Not MS or SONY or
any other company. US Gov. Three cheers for big brother!

The best way to fight 1984 is to not be a quiet citizen content with your lot.
Use your civic duty and vote! (Not intended to be another political thread.
I'm sure some disagree with me and that's fine.)

Every year more graduates comes out knowing OSS and using it in day to day
life. Who was that top exec in a big company that uses Linux at home?

-- 

Steve Szmidt

"For evil to triumph all that is needed is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.



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