Microsoft to Lock Down Longhorn?

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/710/the_broadcast_flag

"For people who've been obsessed with issues surrounding the broadcast flag on HDTV content, things are about to get even more difficult. Heise Online is reporting that the next version of Windows will have extra-strength DRM capabilities tied into PC hardware. The move by Microsoft is to assure content producers that products they release will be protected against unauthorized copying and distribution when used on a PC. So say bye bye to audio stream rippers and video capture techniques that in the past have circumvented copy-protection on digital works."

After reading this article, I was a little shocked at the implications. The way most "ripping" programs work today, whether they be audio or DVD rippers, is by intercepting the post-decrypted data. It sounds like Microsoft is planning on encrypting the whole thing, from end to end, making it impossible to capture a DVD video stream after it's been decrypted. This doesn't bode well for those of us who like to use our media in different ways and on different devices. 8O

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/710/the_broadcast_flag

"For people who've been obsessed with issues surrounding the broadcast flag on HDTV content, things are about to get even more difficult. Heise Online is reporting that the next version of Windows will have extra-strength DRM capabilities tied into PC hardware. The move by Microsoft is to assure content producers that products they release will be protected against unauthorized copying and distribution when used on a PC. So say bye bye to audio stream rippers and video capture techniques that in the past have circumvented copy-protection on digital works."

After reading this article, I was a little shocked at the implications. The way most "ripping" programs work today, whether they be audio or DVD rippers, is by intercepting the post-decrypted data. It sounds like Microsoft is planning on encrypting the whole thing, from end to end, making it impossible to capture a DVD video stream after it's been decrypted. This doesn't bode well for those of us who like to use our media in different ways and on different devices. 8O

[sub_tex]

It' a simple thing actually, just don't upgrade.

We can speak our minds by withholding our money.

It's going to get worse and worse with restrictions if everyone just keeps accepting thngs like this.

Educating people about the restrictions they will have on things they paid for already is a good start.

Peolpe don't like to hear they can't do what they've been enjoying for a while.

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by sub_tex

It' a simple thing actually, just don't upgrade. We can speak our minds by withholding our money.

I agree fully about voting with our wallets, but it's not so simple to just "not upgrade" - as a geek I want the latest and greatest technology, but to have to chose between having it and having an OS that fights with my digital media...it's not so simple. ;-)

[Chris Gohlke]

And, at some point, support for XP will be dropped. This will mean no security updates, etc. Of course, if you do rip a lot of media, you can just keep an old PC that is not connected to the net with a set of software you know works. And, there will always be linux.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

I agree fully about voting with our wallets, but it's not so simple to just "not upgrade" - as a geek I want the latest and greatest technology, but to have to chose between having it and having an OS that fights with my digital media...it's not so simple. ;-)

uhhh, I was expecting better than that. Technology for the sake of it is a no-no. It's what makes MS & Co think they can get away with pulling stunts like these.

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

uhhh, I was expecting better than that. Technology for the sake of it is a no-no.

Come on, you know that Longhorn is going to have some cool features in it - it's not like Micrsoft could, or would, ever take XP and give it a new name and release it to the public...there are ALWAYS improvements, but the question is how much of course. It's not like I buy every new Intel CPU that's 100mhz faster than what I have now, but if the improvements are enough to warrant the cost, then yes, I'll upgrade.

[treo007]

Typical MS; however, I'd rather just run some flavor of Linux for my media purposes anyway. It's not as if Longhorn won't play something like a Divx file encoded on a non-Longhorn system. Unless I'm missing something here.

[wrightca]

This may piss people like us off, but think of the general computer idiot. They probably won't even know. What is the ratio of us to them in the computer world. Most business customers won't care either.

I don't think Microsoft would even notice if we switched to Linux.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

Come on, you know that Longhorn is going to have some cool features in it - it's not like Micrsoft could, or would, ever take XP and give it a new name and release it to the public...there are ALWAYS improvements, but the question is how much of course. It's not like I buy every new Intel CPU that's 100mhz faster than what I have now, but if the improvements are enough to warrant the cost, then yes, I'll upgrade.

Yea, but the idea of locking down media to such an extent places its own cost on the OS, and it's a cost I'm not willing to pay, and neither should most of us who value the freedom of manipulating digital media to our own needs and wants.

[Steve1496]

Originally Posted by wrightca

This may piss people like us off, but think of the general computer idiot. They probably won't even know. What is the ratio of us to them in the computer world. Most business customers won't care either.

I don't think Microsoft would even notice if we switched to Linux.

But then there's no tech geeks to provide support to windows users, if this all actually happened. Plus, don't most normal people follow what the techies do and upgrade to the OS they use? I know that if I switched completely tok linux, so would my friends and family.