Challenge to TCPA/Palladium detractors

[Pete Chown]

Anonymous wrote:

> I'd like the Palladium/TCPA critics to offer an alternative proposal
> for achieving the following technical goal:
> 
>   Allow computers separated on the internet to cooperate and share data
>   and computations such that no one can get access to the data outside
>   the limitations and rules imposed by the applications.

On balance, I suspect I would say that this is not a desirable goal.  I
can see that it has its uses, but I think they are outweighed by the
fact that I would no longer have complete control of my own computer. 
"Complete control" means being able to lie if I choose to.

If it is coming anyway, I think the harm would be mitigated if two
features were provided:

Firstly, there should be no discrimination between operating systems.  I
want to be able to run a version of Linux (or any other operating
system) that makes use of the hardware security features.  If I built my
own operating system, people might not trust it as much as operating
systems that are better known.  Fine, that's the way trust works.  But I
still want my operating system to be able to use the hardware.  The
signatures would be for "program foo running on PeteOS", so making clear
to the relying party that the signature is only as good as my operating
system's security.

Secondly, there should be no discrimination between applications.  I
should be able to write a DRM system that works in the same way as any
RIAA-approved one.  Of course people may not trust my system, that's
their choice.

I'd be interested to know what the experts think -- will this
functionality be available to me?

-- 
Pete

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