linux-kernel - Re: mea culpa on the meaning of Tivoization

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Date:	Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:44:06 +0200
From:	Hans-Jürgen Koch <hjk@...utronix.de>
To:	Alexandre Oliva <aoliva@...hat.com>
Cc:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>,
	Daniel Hazelton <dhazelton@...er.net>,
	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>,
	debian developer <debiandev@...il.com>, david@...g.hm,
	Tarkan Erimer <tarkan@...one.net.tr>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Chris Friesen <cfriesen@...tel.com>,
	Bernd Schmidt <bernds_cb1@...nline.de>,
	Robin Getz <rgetz@...ckfin.uclinux.org>,
	Rob Landley <rob@...dley.net>,
	Bron Gondwana <brong@...tmail.fm>,
	Al Viro <viro@....linux.org.uk>
Subject: Re: mea culpa on the meaning of Tivoization

Am Montag 18 Juni 2007 20:55 schrieb Alexandre Oliva:
> On Jun 18, 2007, Hans-Jürgen Koch <hjk@...utronix.de> wrote:
> 
> > So, if a manufacturer used a ROM instead of a flash memory with the
> > intention to make software modifications impossible, then it is bad,
> > and when he did it for economical reasons, then it is a "natural barrier"?
> 
> This sounds about right to me.
> 
> Intent is very significant, but then, what vendor would justify the
> choice of ROM as "intent to prevent modifications", if this amounted
> to copyright infringement?

Indeed. That nicely shows how useless any licensing discussion is
when it comes to hardware design issues, including "Tivoization". 

> 
> Vendor would be entitled to the benefit of the doubt as to the
> motivations in this case, so it would likely be unenforceable anyway.
>

Right. If GPL v3 comes out, there'll probably be a new task for
hardware development engineers: How to find excuses for hardware that
prevents software modifications and how to conceal the true intent.

Hans
 
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