[olug] Fw: FC: Linus Torvalds on digital rights management inLinux kernel

Eric Johnson eric_j at oasis.novia.net
Tue Apr 29 13:44:57 UTC 2003


On Tue, 29 Apr 2003, Daniel G. Linder wrote:

> Nick Walter [mailto:waltern at iivip.com] wrote:
> > I don't think DRM, in and of itself, is a bad thing.
> >
> > In conjunction with the absolutely crappy intellectual
> > property/copyright
> > laws we have in this country, it does however becomes a tool
> > for content
> > providers to control content users.  I agree with Linus, the
> > place to fight
> > this isn't on the technical front.  We need to change the crappy laws.
> >
> > Nick Walter
>
> Yup, that's my view too.  I can imagine some future implementation of a
> firewall/vpn setup that could use the DRM within the kernel to be yet
> another layer of ensuring that the module I am loading is the "blessed"
> one from my distributor and not a hacked/trojaned version from some
> nefarious entity.
>
> DRM should not be a valid reason to stop producing OSS products.  Just
> because you have access to the source code and can recompile it, I won't
> be able to "sign" it with a DRM key to make someone else believe it is
> really the version that "Linus Torvalds" wrote, compiled, and published.
> The only theoretical weakness is if the signing key were to be stolen.
> Of course, the DRM system should have a way to revoke the key as a valid
> key.  Then at least you know that new stuff coming with that signed key
> is not to be trusted but you still have the option of loading and using
> it (maybe your copy came from a CD that was burned before the key was
> stolen).
>
> Like Nick said, the real change needs to be made in the way laws are
> interpreted and enforced, not in the writing of more laws or making
> technology be our chaperone.
>
> Dan

Linus comment did not say he approved of DRM in the kernel. In fact, I
believe that he said that he saw no way to make that work, since the key
would have to become part of the open source. He simply said that he had
no problem with someon signing a kernel to make it compliant with some of
the coming DRM-capable hardware.

-- Eric Johnson
-- eric_j at oasis.novia.net

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