[LINK] vista critique

[grove at zeta.org.au]

>>> A case of unexpected consequences?
>>> http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt
>>>
>>>            A Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection
>>>            ===================================================


As a person who uses their computer for composing music, I find the 
Vista situation to be ridiculous.    It would seem that to use 
any software that creates audio or graphic content can now be forced
to have DRM imprinted in it, or certain media libraries may fail to 
open correctly, such as audio samples or graphic plugins or image 
collections.  Certainly, sharing content that was originally 
DRM imprinted is going be much more difficult and the results
less than spectacular.

Not being able to use SPDIF or to be forced into lower sample rates 
is going to be a killer for anyone doing media projects on their 
computer.   It's also going to create more of a security hole as 
users work around the DRM to gain access to features that should 
already be available, as usurping the DRM can lead to inadvertantly 
creating illegal paths into the kernel from user content or apps or plugins
designed to usurp DRM.

Also, how far does this extend into source code or even the compilers
or app development tools?   How easy is it going to be to use 
CVS style tools, web publishing apps, C compilers and the rest?

DRM could see app library frameworks suddenly having a huge extra layer
of complexity and perhaps for OSS developers, this means no longer
being able to use certain libraries, because they contain prohibited
DRM content and the rest.

The deeper you go into Vista, the more it is obvious it is the same 
old rubbish, but with terribly restrictive rights imposed on it, 
for anyone who isn't working for Microsoft, or one of it's partners.

Don't even bother buying the "Home" version - it won't even look 
at an SPDIF port.

But, people will buy it.  Enterprises will install it. 
And the programmers will have to learn their trade all over again. 
And the outsourcing will continue.   And the security holes will get bigger.
And everyone will make lots of money.


rachel

-- 
Rachel Polanskis                 Kingswood, Greater Western Sydney, Australia
grove at zeta.org.au                http://www.zeta.org.au/~grove/grove.html
 	"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
 	deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin, 1759