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On 17 Jul 2007, at 18:38, <burlingk@×××××××××.mil> |
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<burlingk@×××××××××.mil> wrote: |
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> |
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> TiVo ... did not allow modified, and therefore potentially |
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> Compromised, devices connect to their network. |
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> |
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> This does not sound like theft of code, it sounds like sound network |
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> protocol. If you wish to maintain a secure environment that is stable |
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> for thousands of users, and has a lot of money riding on it, you do |
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> not allow compromised devices to connect. |
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|
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I'm not familiar with Tivo's "network" - I'd had the impression that |
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a Tivo merely dialled into their servers & obtained a TV schedule. |
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However, this is not the point. |
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The point is that Tivo SOLD people hardware which was locked in such |
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a way that it made restrictions upon the purchasers' use of that |
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hardware. I presume that - although the GPL requires Tivo to inform |
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purchasers of their rights to a copy of the source code - this |
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retriction was not advertised at the point-of-sale. |
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There are lots of valid uses for a low-power computer with a TV-tuner |
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card, a hard-drive and a good TV-compatible video-output aside from |
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"hacking" Tivo's network. |
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If you want to build a secure network I think it's behoven upon you |
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to bear the cost of that. I just find it the idea objectionable that |
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you should be able to take source code that other people have written |
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- that other people have released publicly with the intent that it |
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should benefit all - and use that in a way detrimental to the |
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majority of users. |
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|
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To bear the cost of a "secure environment" feel free to rent out the |
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equipment. Require a minimum 12-month contract, if you wish, but do |
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not "sell" the customer equipment which locks them into your service, |
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equipment which they "own" but which is worthless scrap should they |
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choose to cancel their subscription with you. That, IMO, is |
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misleading and whilst vendors may be entitled to sell equipment which |
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is locked to their service, I feel they ought to have the good grace |
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to write their own damn code if they're going to do so. Nintendo do |
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this quite successfully with their PS3 & Xbox360 consoles, and do not |
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rely on the open-source community to give them a free ride. |
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In the Land Of The Free consumers might not need any "protection" |
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from entering into any contract that they wish, but over here in |
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Europe we consider this sort of behaviour as petty any anti-competitive. |
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> The TiVo thing was completely within the word and spirit of the GPL. |
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> It is sad that many zealots seem to interpret the texts otherwise. |
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Whilst it may have been within the _word_ of the GPL your remarks do |
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not explain why the GPL has been specifically rewritten to exclude |
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this behaviour. How do you reconcile this fact with your remarks that |
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the Tivo thing is within the _sprit_ of the GPL? |
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Stroller. |
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-- |
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