Re: [Fsfe-uk] Explanation of Tivosiation and problems - comments sought

[Ciaran O'Riordan]

MJ Ray <address@hidden> writes:
> Did Tivo include an auto-upgrader which was used to remove some
> functions from the machines, or am I thinking of another similar
> product?

I'm not sure.  But the important thing is that they could.

> Why not call these things locked computers instead of giving Tivo this
> interesting reward?

I don't have a strong preference, but by including spyware, Tivo does hand
us a nice example of what's wrong with not having control.

> > [...] If manufacturers implement #1 and #2, but told each
> > customer the (possibly unique) digital fingerprint and how the
> > customer can include it in software, then there would be no problem.
> 
> Customer or user or owner?

Maybe I should move to owner, as Jason also suggested.

I used "customer" to highlight that the person being screwed is also the
person who is paying, so they should feel they deserve better treatment.

> I feel it would be good balance to the piece if it mentions the
> importance of allowing sysadmins to use strong cryptography to secure
> their software on their own computers, and how GPLv3 won't hinder
> that.

Ok.  I think I can add a paragraph on that.

> IIRC, there are other licences which seem less careful about that.

Other licences that fight tivoisation?  Which ones?


Thanks for the comments.
-- 
Ciarán O'Riordan __________________ \ http://fsfeurope.org/projects/gplv3
http://ciaran.compsoc.com/ _________ \  GPLv3 and other work supported by
http://fsfe.org/fellows/ciaran/weblog \   Fellowship: http://www.fsfe.org