At 6:46 PM -0700 on 7/1/02, Joseph Ashwood wrote:
DRM is a tool.
I agree. And I don't think any tool is evil, either, and, I bet, Ryan probably doesn't want to come across as a hoplophobe as you're depiction of his calling a particular technology evil makes him sound either. :-). That said, there are *useless* tools, and I think that most DRM stuff -- except where it is used merely to authenticate content, which you can do with the eventual equivalent of an iButton -- will turn out to be a very *useless* tool. Something on the order of a dirigible, maybe, or an autogyro, or a coal-fired steam-powered car, or a gilt-edged intaglio printed industrial bearer bond. Entertaining, and evangelized by a few, heh, fanatic supporters, :-), but not used for much else. Cheers, RAH -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'