[11007] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Ross's TCPA paper
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Thomas Tydal)
Sat Jun 29 14:26:49 2002
From: "Thomas Tydal" <dev@tydal.nu>
To: <cypherpunks@lne.com>, <cryptography@wasabisystems.com>,
<shamrock@cypherpunks.to>, <Ross.Anderson@cl.cam.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 21:43:48 +0200
> Let us suppose that this is the world ten years from now: you can run =
a
> secure OS in "trusted" mode and be eligible to download movies and =
music
> for a price; or you can run in untrusted mode and no one will let you
> download other than bootleg copies. This is the horror, the nightmare
> vision which the doom-sayers frantically wave before us.
> The important thing to note is this: you are no worse off than today!
Well, first I want to say that I don't like the way it is today. I want =
things to get better. I can't read e-books on my pocket computer, for =
example, which is sad since I actually would be able to enjoy e-books if =
I only could load them onto my small computer that follows my =
everywhere. Yes, of course I could probably bypass the protection and =
make the e-book readable if I really wanted to, but I honestly don't =
want to. Besides the Sklyarov case I don't feel I should need to crack =
things I have legally purchased.
Second, what about CD's? Today I can buy music on CD's and use the sound =
the way I want. I can put it in my MP3 player and I can practically do =
anything with it using a wave editor. But what about the future? Would =
they sell unprotected versions of any album so I can listen to and =
process music with the program of my choice?
> You will still be able to use your system in exactly the same ways =
that
> you use it today; you will be able to run all of the software that you
> run today.
But not with the same data.
How good is Winamp if it can't play any music recorded in 2004 or later? =
Given that Windows Media Player can play all your tunes and it takes a =
reboot to switch to Winamp, who wouldn't stick with WMP?
And remember that Microsoft encourages us to protect our own files and =
documents. What will happen to the word processors, text editors and =
other programs we use today when there is no data left for them to use =
since everything has been protected?
> The TCPA allows you to do something that you can't do today: run your
> system in a way which convinces the other guy that you will honor your
> promises, that you will guard his content as he requires in exchange =
for
> his providing it to you. It allows you to be honest.
Only problem is; I'm not the one giving promises, it's my computer! =
"Yes, I will make sure that the user only will be able to listen to this =
song three times. Don't you worry. His opinion doesn't matter. I'm in =
charge here."
I'm not saying there isn't a market for listening to songs a limited =
number of times for a smaller fee, I'm just worried they will take away =
the possiblity of listening an unlimited number of times (or make it =
noticeably more expensive).
> Realize that the "trusted" mode of the TCPA will always be only an =
option,
Bottom line; not if you want to work with protected content. (Which, =
from what I can understand, will include all future songs, movies and =
probably word documents and loads of other data as well.) Or am I =
missing something?
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