all.html malware-microsoft.html proprietary-back-doors.html propr...

[Diff Report]

Modified:

    all.html
    malware-microsoft.html
    proprietary-back-doors.html
    proprietary-drm.html
    proprietary.html
    proprietary-insecurity.html
    proprietary-interference.html
    proprietary-tethers.html
    uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html

diff -rNU2 all.html all.html
--- all.html    2024-01-20 05:02:21.073329094 +0000
+++ all.html    2024-01-21 05:01:15.071122555 +0000
@@ -60,4 +60,23 @@
 <ul class="blurbs">
 <!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec; don't edit in all.html. -->
+<!--#set var='ADD' value='2024-01-20' -->
+<!--#set var='PUB' value='2023-11-10' -->
+<li><small class='date-tag'>Added: <span class="gnun-split"></span>
+<!--#echo encoding='none' var='ADD' --><span class="gnun-split"></span>
+&mdash; Latest reference: <span class="gnun-split"></span><!--#echo
+encoding='none' var='PUB' --></small>
+    <p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
+    close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
+    
href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification";>
+    forcing them to give the reason why they were closing it</a>. This
+    prompt was removed after public pressure.</p>
+
+    <p>This is a reminder that angry users still have the power to make
+    developers of proprietary software remove small annoyances. Don't
+    count on public outcry to make them remove more profitable malware,
+    though. Run away from proprietary software!</p>
+  </li>
+
+<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec; don't edit in all.html. -->
 <!--#set var='ADD' value='2024-01-03' -->
 <!--#set var='PUB' value='2023-12-06' -->
@@ -5015,5 +5034,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 12:14:11 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 18:30:22 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 malware-microsoft.html malware-microsoft.html
--- malware-microsoft.html      2024-01-20 05:02:21.109329107 +0000
+++ malware-microsoft.html      2024-01-21 05:01:15.095122534 +0000
@@ -365,4 +365,20 @@
 <ul class="blurbs">
 <!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
+  <li id="M202311101">
+    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
+    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
+    <p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
+    close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
+    
href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification";>
+    forcing them to give the reason why they were closing it</a>. This
+    prompt was removed after public pressure.</p>
+
+    <p>This is a reminder that angry users still have the power to make
+    developers of proprietary software remove small annoyances. Don't
+    count on public outcry to make them remove more profitable malware,
+    though. Run away from proprietary software!</p>
+  </li>
+
+<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
   <li id="M202302140">
     <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-02</small>'
@@ -1184,5 +1200,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 11:09:14 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 14:52:21 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 proprietary-back-doors.html proprietary-back-doors.html
--- proprietary-back-doors.html 2024-01-20 05:02:21.121329111 +0000
+++ proprietary-back-doors.html 2024-01-21 05:01:15.103122527 +0000
@@ -338,10 +338,10 @@
     --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
     <p><a href="/proprietary/uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html">UHD 
-    Blu-ray requires the worst
-    kinds of malware</a>. To playback a UHD Blu-ray disk on a PC requires
-    Intel Management Engine (ME), which has backdoors and cannot be
-    disabled. Every Blu-ray drive also has a back door in the firmware
-    that allows the AACS LA to &ldquo;revoke&rdquo; the ability to playback
-    any AACS restricted disk.</p>
+    Blu-ray disks are loaded with malware of the worst kinds</a>, including
+    the AACS DRM. Playing them on a PC requires the Intel Management
+    Engine, which has back doors and cannot be disabled. Every Blu-ray
+    drive also has a back door in its firmware, which allows the
+    AACS-enforcing organization to &ldquo;revoke&rdquo; the ability to play
+    any AACS-restricted disk.</p>
   </li>
 
@@ -1151,5 +1151,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 11:09:14 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 18:30:23 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 proprietary-drm.html proprietary-drm.html
--- proprietary-drm.html        2024-01-20 05:02:21.133329116 +0000
+++ proprietary-drm.html        2024-01-21 05:01:15.115122516 +0000
@@ -82,7 +82,5 @@
     proprietary specifications, which developers can only obtain after
     signing an agreement that explicitly forbids them from disclosing any
-    source code. The UHD Blu-ray standards also make it extraordinarily
-    difficult for users to play the disks, even if all the requirements
-    are satisfied.</p>
+    source code.</p>
   </li>
 
@@ -757,5 +755,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 14:48:07 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 18:30:23 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 proprietary.html proprietary.html
--- proprietary.html    2024-01-20 05:02:21.137329117 +0000
+++ proprietary.html    2024-01-21 05:01:15.123122508 +0000
@@ -224,5 +224,4 @@
   UHD Blu-ray denies your freedom. This is an anatomy of an all-controlling
   authoritarian media subjugation system...</a></strong></p>
-
 <p style="margin-bottom: .5em">
   <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-07</small>'
@@ -235,4 +234,20 @@
 <ul class="blurbs">
 <!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
+  <li id="M202311101">
+    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
+    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
+    <p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
+    close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
+    
href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification";>
+    forcing them to give the reason why they were closing it</a>. This
+    prompt was removed after public pressure.</p>
+
+    <p>This is a reminder that angry users still have the power to make
+    developers of proprietary software remove small annoyances. Don't
+    count on public outcry to make them remove more profitable malware,
+    though. Run away from proprietary software!</p>
+  </li>
+
+<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
   <li id="M202312060">
     <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-12</small>'
@@ -301,18 +316,4 @@
     developers.</p>
   </li>
-
-<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
-  <li id="M202309050">
-    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-09</small>'
-    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
-    <p>Google Nest snooper/surveillance cameras are always
-    tethered to Google servers, record videos 24/7, and are
-    <a 
href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/09/google-nest-cameras-get-a-25-33-subscription-price-hike/";>
-    subscription-based, which is an injustice to people who
-    use them</a>. The article discusses the rise in prices for
-    &ldquo;plans&rdquo; you can buy from Google, which include storing
-    videos in the &ldquo;cloud&rdquo;&mdash;another word for someone
-    else's computer.</p>
-  </li>
 </ul>
 <p class="button right-align">
@@ -377,5 +378,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 12:08:11 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 14:52:21 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 proprietary-insecurity.html proprietary-insecurity.html
--- proprietary-insecurity.html 2024-01-20 05:02:21.145329120 +0000
+++ proprietary-insecurity.html 2024-01-21 05:01:15.123122508 +0000
@@ -122,5 +122,5 @@
     other things, playing them on a PC requires Intel SGX (Software
     Guard Extensions), which not only has numerous security 
-    vulnerabilities, but also has been deprecated and removed from
+    vulnerabilities, but also was deprecated and removed from
     mainstream Intel CPUs in 2022.</p>
   </li>
@@ -1543,5 +1543,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 14:48:06 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 18:30:23 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 proprietary-interference.html proprietary-interference.html
--- proprietary-interference.html       2024-01-20 05:02:21.145329120 +0000
+++ proprietary-interference.html       2024-01-21 05:01:15.127122505 +0000
@@ -68,4 +68,20 @@
 <ul class="blurbs">
 <!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in 
proprietary-interference.html. -->
+  <li id="M202311101">
+    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
+    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
+    <p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
+    close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
+    
href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification";>
+    forcing them to give the reason why they were closing it</a>. This
+    prompt was removed after public pressure.</p>
+
+    <p>This is a reminder that angry users still have the power to make
+    developers of proprietary software remove small annoyances. Don't
+    count on public outcry to make them remove more profitable malware,
+    though. Run away from proprietary software!</p>
+  </li>
+
+<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in 
proprietary-interference.html. -->
   <li id="M202311090">
     <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
@@ -573,5 +589,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 11:26:34 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 14:52:21 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 proprietary-tethers.html proprietary-tethers.html
--- proprietary-tethers.html    2024-01-20 05:02:21.165329128 +0000
+++ proprietary-tethers.html    2024-01-21 05:01:15.147122487 +0000
@@ -77,6 +77,6 @@
     Blu-ray disks are loaded with malware of the worst kinds</a>. Among other
     things, they are encrypted with keys that must be retrieved from a remote
-    server. This makes regular update and internet connection a requirement
-    if the user purchases more than one UHD Blu-ray disk over time.</p>
+    server. This makes repeated updates and internet connections a requirement
+    if the user purchases several UHD Blu-ray disks over time.</p>
   </li>
 
@@ -566,5 +566,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/19 14:48:06 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 18:30:23 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
diff -rNU2 uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html 
uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html
--- uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html 2024-01-20 05:02:21.169329129 +0000
+++ uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html 2024-01-21 05:01:15.155122479 +0000
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@
 <p>The UHD (Ultra High Definition, also known as 4K) Blu-ray standard involves
 several types of restrictions, both at the hardware and the software levels,
-which make &ldquo;legitimate&rdquo; playback of UHD Blu-ray media impossible on
-a PC with <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free/libre</a> software.</p>
+which make &ldquo;legitimate&rdquo; playback of UHD Blu-ray media impossible
+on a PC with <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free/libre</a> software.</p>
 </div>
 
@@ -47,6 +47,5 @@
 Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Walt Disney and Warner Bros.</p>
 
-<p>As it travels across connections, the audio/video data is
-subjected to the
+<p>As it travels across connections, the audio/video data is subjected to the
 <a 
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-bandwidth_Digital_Content_Protection";>
 High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)</a> DRM, which is developed
@@ -59,6 +58,6 @@
 (not found in every model) and a number of DRM-imposing or otherwise malicious
 anti-features, and (3) support for HDCP, the sole purpose of which is to make
-exact copying impossible. Such a computer does not respect users' freedom and
-denies them control over it.</p>
+exact copying of the audio/video stream impossible. Such a computer does not
+respect users' freedom, and denies them control over it.</p>
 
 <div>
@@ -86,20 +85,20 @@
 security vulnerabilities</a>. The playback software will refuse to play a
 movie if Intel SGX is not enabled in the BIOS, which means <em>your new PC
-will not play the UHD Blu-ray disk you just
-purchased</em>. However, <a href="https://sgx.fail/files/sgx.fail.pdf";>a group
-of researchers was able to exploit the security holes in Intel SGX and play a
-UHD Blu-ray disk without restrictions</a>, although such exploitation is likely
-impossible for an average user to accomplish.</p>
+will not play the UHD Blu-ray disk you just purchased</em>.</p>
+<p><a href="https://sgx.fail/files/sgx.fail.pdf";>A group of researchers was
+able to exploit the security holes in Intel SGX and play a UHD Blu-ray disk
+without restrictions</a>. However, such exploitation is likely impossible for
+an average user to accomplish.</p>
 </li>
 
 <li>Intel ME
-<p>The Intel Management Engine (ME) driver is also required. If the driver
-version is too old, the software will refuse to
-play. <a 
href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/the-management-engine-an-attack-on-computer-users-freedom";>The
-Intel ME is a proprietary embedded system</a> that resides in every Intel CPU
-since around 2013. Users have no control over it; they cannot replace it with
-free software nor can they write free software for it. As the CPU cannot boot
-without the ME driver, this is the perfect tool for remote access and
-surveillance through a backdoor.</p>
+<p>The Intel Management Engine (ME) is also required. If its version is too
+old, the software will refuse to play.
+<a 
href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/the-management-engine-an-attack-on-computer-users-freedom";>
+The ME is a proprietary embedded system that resides in every Intel CPU</a>.
+Users have no control over it; they cannot replace it with a free system nor
+can they write free software for it. As the CPU cannot boot without the ME,
+this is the perfect tool for remote access and surveillance through a
+backdoor.</p>
 </li>
 
@@ -130,7 +129,7 @@
 <p>AACS is a set of cryptographically complex standards for encrypting
 high-definition media and restricting their playback, which currently applies
-to HD DVD, Blu-ray, and UHD Blu-ray disks. The flavor of AACS used
-by UHD Blu-ray further attacks users' freedom (and possibly privacy) by forcing
-them to connect to a company server to download the decryption keys.</p>
+to HD DVD, Blu-ray, and UHD Blu-ray disks. The flavor of AACS used by UHD
+Blu-ray further attacks users' freedom (and possibly privacy) by forcing them
+to connect to a company server to download the decryption keys.</p>
 
 <p>Decryption proceeds in several steps, the first one being the mutual
@@ -179,16 +178,5 @@
 </blockquote>
 </li>
-<!--
-<li>Certification and keys
-<p>Hypothetically, the developers overcame the first obstacle, then they need
-to
-<a 
href="https://aacsla.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/AACS_Key_Order_Form_120227.pdf";>
-purchase device keys from AACS LA</a>. The price depends on the number of
-distributed copies, which is nearly impossible to determine in the case of
-free software because anyone is free to download and install copies without
-informing the developers&mdash;another obstacle to the development of these
-players, another successful campaign against free software indeed.</p>
-</li>
--->
+
 <li>Disabling the player
 <p>If the player certificate has been &ldquo;compromised&rdquo; according to
@@ -211,8 +199,8 @@
 that does not allow shipping encryption keys with certified playback software.
 Instead, <a href="https://sgx.fail/files/sgx.fail.pdf";>the keys must be
-downloaded from a remote server</a>. This makes regular update and internet
-connection a requirement if the user purchases more than one UHD Blu-ray disk
-over time. Moreover, fetching the encryption keys from a remote server that
-users have no control over exposes the user's viewing history.</p>
+downloaded from a remote server</a>. This makes repeated updates and internet
+connections a requirement if the user purchases several UHD Blu-ray disks over
+time. Moreover, fetching the encryption keys from a remote server that users
+have no control over exposes the user's viewing history.</p>
 </li>
 </ul>
@@ -221,5 +209,5 @@
 
 <p class="important">In short, the UHD Blu-ray standard is fundamentally
-incompatible with your freedom. Therefore, we need to take action to defend
+incompatible with user freedom. Therefore, we need to take action to defend
 this freedom: <a href="/philosophy/opposing-drm.html">we must boycott media,
 services, and players that implement AACS or other forms of DRM</a>, and call
@@ -284,5 +272,5 @@
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2024/01/18 15:43:47 $
+$Date: 2024/01/20 19:49:56 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>