2008/12/8 Arne Babenhauserheide <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Am Freitag 05 Dezember 2008 12:31:52 schrieb Michal Suchanek: >> 2008/12/3 Arne Babenhauserheide <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >> > Am Sonntag 30 November 2008 21:08:43 schrieb Michal Suchanek: >> >> The default distribution can then be modified to create a distribution >> >> where even the 'root' shell has some restrictions - that's unavoidable >> >> on any system that allows restricting programs. >> > >> > If the system is GPLv3, the root shell can't be made unfixable (a >> > restricted root shell is broken), since the user *must* have a way to >> > change the system, else the distributor violates the GPL. >> >> Look at TiVO - they do not forbid modifying the software but forbid >> running the modified software. > > Which was one of the strong reasons for the GPLv3 - the GPLv3 protects against > Tivoisation. If they'd try their trick with GPLv3 software, they'd violate the > license. > >> However, the DRM verification is something different - they allow you >> to run whatever you want on your computer (so far) but they want to >> allow accessing protected content only when your system verifies as >> known DRM enforcing one (although the verification is technically >> unfeasible so far). >> >> I am not sure if GPLv3 or anything else protects you from that. > > As soon as I can't run sofware I modified *but someone else can* (for example > by provding a new validation), it violates the GPLv3. It breaks the symmetry > between all developers. > > Naturally I am allowed to setup a system where only someone else can modify > the software, but I am not allowed to *distribute* that system, and so public > services can't be restricted to verified systems, since you woulldn't be > allowed to distribute a verified system.
This is somewhat different than TiVO. The system can be distributed as non-verified, and run all free applications just fine. However, a non-free application may require certain known version of the otherwise free system (and driver for hardware cryptographic device) to run or allow access to protected content. Thanks Michal
