-=PCTechTalk=- REPOST PER REQ By S.B.: Possibly one of the most-important posts that I will make; hope that it explains some of my feelings towards M$ and Vista
- From: "Larry Southerland" <larrysoutherland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:31:34 -0400
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Southerland [mailto:larrysoutherland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 1:54 AM
To: 'pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: Possibly one of the most-important posts that I will make; hope
that it explains some of my feelings towards M$ and Vista
Once can only *hope* that M$ will "get their act together" with Vista after
SP1 or SP2 is released. However, with the system requirements that any
"decent" (that is, Aero-enabled) Vista system requires, Vista may become
"unnecessary" as people wait to see what Version 7 might have to offer. By
then, support of XP will be over (probably) and upgrading may become (at
that point) a "necessary evil."
All through our various discussions of Vista (its merits and its "issues"),
one thing which (to my knowledge) that no one on the listserve had addressed
is the TCM implementation in Windows (and the manner in which the XP update
service is "slipstreaming" TCM into Windows XP. Look up the following
search term in Google if you really want to become concerned:
Trusted +Comput* Platform +Module OR ~Group OR ~Initiative
And then do a little research on DRM and TCM....
Vista (and the slipstreamed "enhancements" to XP) is designed to provide a
"unique ID" to every computer by used of the Trusted Computing Module (also
known as the "Fritz Chip" almost certainly already in your computer). The
Fritz Chip is named for for Senator Fritz Hollings who supported copyright
holders to the exclusion of the users of copyrighted materials. Until
Vista, the OS did not take "advantage" of the Module. With the TC Module
enabled, "unauthorized" software and media will not function. In fact, with
the Module engaged, the unique ID can be backtraced to the originating
computer (even if it has been physically moved). This idea was "sold" to
the public (to the extent that its existence was even disclosed) as a means
by which to combat spam (e.g., emails which did not originate from a
TCM-enabled computer could be blocked. If spam were sent via a TCM-enabled
computer, the villain could be identified and then blocked.) The darker
reality is that with TCM enabled, governments can more-closely monitor their
citizens' (or other countries' citizens') online activities (think
dissidents in China who might want to let the outside world know about
another massacre of dissidents and the efforts that the Communist Party
would take to prevent this information from "getting out"). China is
already shipping computers with its version of the "Fritz Chip" (called the
"Hengzhi Chip"). Think "NSA," "CIA," "FBI," "Echelon" and all of the other
wonderful federal and State agencies who would love a "back door" into a
target's computer systems. This of what the Russian Business Network could
do with computers which have intentional security backdoors in them so that
the US (or other governments) can get into computer systems. In addition,
from a copyright perspective, the government (well, think "big business")
can turn off your access to your files unless you are paying royalties.
Although I don't support copyright infringement, the nasty truth is that "to
err is human, to really screw up takes a computer." Imagine that you spend
a great deal of money purchasing *.mp3s from iTunes (or its equivalent) on a
TCM enabled computer. Six months later (for whatever reason) the system
believes (incorrectly) that some or all of your files are not (or are no
longer) "authorized" and it disables the files -- or your players. The TCM
is also designed to allow the system to be surreptitiously "inspected" by
governmental agencies at the flick of a switch (that is, without having to
enter your house with a nasty inconvenience called a "search warrant.")
Also, TCM allows the system (being your dutiful servant) to delete allegedly
infringing software and video/music files from your computer without taking
up your valuable time by requiring any input on your part. How very nice of
them. This is also part of the plan for you to eventually be forced into
"renting" your OS and software applications from GUESS WHO on a monthly or
quarterly basis. "You missed a payment? No problem. Like the electric or
phone company, we know where you live (via the TCM) and, based upon that
unique ID, we will gladly disable your OS or offending application until
your bill becomes current again." "Don't you talk like that to me sir!
Once more complaint from you and I'll delete all your datafiles as
well!!!!!"
Just a little bit (tip of the iceberg) on TCM or TPM:
Please review the URLS listed:
http://moglen.law.columbia.edu/publications/lu-22.pdf
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/tcpa-short.pdf
http://www.cryptolabs.org/CCC2004TCunendlich/WeisLucksBogkSane2004tcg12.pdf
http://www.lafkon.net/tc/ (Watch the video)
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/05/who_owns_your_c.html
Please realize that this is not a joke, nor am I paranoid. I am merely a
lawyer who became "radicalized" while taking Criminal Procedure in law
school and reading thousands of cases where the federal or State government
did truly heinous things to try to "bring criminals (often "political
enemies") to "justice" (often harassment and threats). One of my favorite
examples (which seems appropriate given this week's disclosures from Albany,
NY) is as follows: FBI wants to get a look at documents in a married
lawyer's briefcase while he is on a trip related to one of his clients'
cases. FBI hires a Hooker (look up the etymology of the term) to seduce the
lawyer and take him to her room so that they can riffle his briefcase so
that they can then try to use the material against the lawyer and
(surprise!) against the attorney. After reading hundreds upon hundreds of
such cases, often involving undisclosed surveillance by some governmental
schmuck bastard as likely to "plant" false evidence as he is to "find" real
evidence, forgive me if I seem a little "concerned" about the possible uses
that the Government(s) and Microsoft could make of this new (and
largely-covert) technology.
We definitely "live in interesting times."
-----Original Message-----
From: pctechtalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:pctechtalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of GMan
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 11:51 PM
To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: You might find this "interesting." It is from
today's issue of "Technolawyer"
Larry,
Not a big deal, my friend. In fact, you are single-handedly bringing a
new perspective to the group (how's that for courtroom logic? lol). It's
just that I understand how easy it is for the folks who choose Digest to be
forgotten. Unfortunately, I occasionally forget and do it myself at times.
:O(
I couldn't agree more (Vista = WinME), at least for now. But I also
hold out hope that it evolves more like XP over time. I vividly remember
the months just after XP's release when everyone was falling all over each
other to scream the loudest about its limitations, how it wasn't properly
supported with drivers and how none of our old apps would run on it. It was
nothing more than Microsoft's way of forcing us all to upgrade perfectly
useable systems to its outlandish hardware demands. SP-1 fixed a bunch of
these problems and SP-2 really made the OS perform more on par with the
original vision MS had (at least after they had been forced to drop some of
the more advanced things they wanted to include). It's just that it was
shoved out the door before it was finished being beta tested. In
retrospect, XP was beta tested by the entire retail channel (that's all of
us buyers) for at least two years before it became stable enough for the
outcries to stop. If MS is really planning to speed up the process to get
to the launch of yet another newer OS, I can only imagine that the screaming
will be even worse after its release. Therefore, I hope even more for Vista
to be corrected by the launch of its own SP-2.
Peace,
G
http://tinyurl.com/2ebxrp
"The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask!"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Southerland" <larrysoutherland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 10:47 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: You might find this "interesting." It is from
today's issue of "Technolawyer"
> Sorry. Wasn't aware of this. This particular listserve is designed for
> lawyers. The reason that I posted the article (well, part of *an*
> article)
> on that listserve was that it dealt with the rush by M$ to release version
> 7
> b/c Vista is the new ME...
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