On Thu, Aug 01, 2002 at 02:33:43PM -0700, James A. Donald wrote:
According to Microsoft, the end user can turn the palladium hardware off, and the computer will still boot. As long as that is true, it is an end user option and no one can object.
But this is not what the content providers want. They want that if you disable the Fritz chip, the computer does not boot. What they want is that it shall be illegal to sell a computer capable of booting if the Fritz chip is disabled.
Nope. They care that the Fritz chip is enabled whenever their content is played. There's no need to make it a legal requirement if the market makes it a practical requirement. The Linux folks just won't be able to watch the latest Maria Lopez or Jennifer Carey DVDs. But who cares about a few geeks? Only weirdos install alternative OSs anyhow, they can be ignored. Most of them will probably have second systems with the Fritz chip enabled anyhow. Eric