[Open-graphics] DRM on Linux, BSD, OpenSolaris, etc.

[Tim Schmidt]

On 2/23/07, Simon <simon80 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Obviously, as the OGC gains a certain amount of mainstream appeal, it
> becomes more likely it is that there will be users who complain about
> support for AACS and HDCP.  However if you divide the possibilities
> into two choices:
> a) work on other stuff (good economics, better features, whatever),
> producing a card that might become popular outside the target
> audience, but get criticized over DRM support
> b) spend a disproportionate amount of time and money on design and
> negotiations for the purpose of making it legal and possible to use
> high def content for the people that really want it, but risk having
> the card fail to appeal to a wide enough audience to make that effort
> worthwhile
> the first choice is more focused and productive, and less risky.

You've got some misconceptions rolled in there...  The only scenario
under which OGC won't be able to display HD content, is if _all_
monitor manufacturers design their monitors not to accept unencrypted
HD content.

Myself, being of the opinion that it's physically (and probably
mathematically provably) impossible to keep data secret on the same
machine on which it's viewed, believe that any effort spent on
designing in DRM support will promptly be wasted by someone exercising
their right to access information on their own computers, and the
respective **AA killing the card remotely via BluRay, HD DVD, the
internet, or some other pertinent blacklisting method.  Same as they
can already do for non-compliant BR and HD DVD players, and Windows
Vista drivers.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt we could be
license compliant without such a remote kill switch.

DRM is literally an exercise in futility.

--tim