----- Original Message ----- From: "Ryan Lackey" <ryan@havenco.com>
I consider DRM systems (even the not-secure, not-mandated versions) evil due to the high likelyhood they will be used as technical building blocks upon which to deploy mandated, draconian DRM systems.
The same argument can be applied to just about any tool. A knife has a high likelihood of being used in such a manner that it causes physical damage to an individual (e.g. you cut yourself while slicing your dinner) at some point in its useful lifetime. Do we declare knives evil? A hammer has a high likelihood of at some point in its useful life causing physical damage to both an individual and property. Do we declare hammers evil? DRM is a tool. Tools can be used for good, and tools can be used for evil, but that does not make a tool inherently good or evil. DRM has a place where it is a suitable tool, but one should not declare a tool evil simply because an individual or group uses the tool for purposes that have been declared evil. Joe