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Trusted Computing?

Intended Audience

Everyone whos ever used a computer.

Introduction

In this essay, I will try to be non biased, but I can't garuntee anything. The fact is that this is hardcore computer politics, and there are different schools of users and developers, each with their own opinion about the technology and the influence that it could have.

What is Trusted Computing

Trusted computing is a really bad term for the technology, because it is a security technology, and security is bout stopping those you don't trust, so keep that in mind. Trusted computing puts a chip on your motherboard(called a Fritz chip) that stores encrypted keys. This than allows for complete data privacy, because there is not really a software way to get the keys off the chip, and the chip is used to authenticate data. You cannot then change or reverse engineer any programs, and running a third party patch on the software is a definite no no.

Why is it bad?

It isn't bad, but what it enables software and hardware vendors to do is bad. It also enables DRM, which has been rumoured to exist in the newer versions of Windows Media Player.

What is DRM?

Digital rights management is a way for media to be "unpiratable". You might think this is impossible, and that you can always plug a recorder into your soundcard, and copy a song, but this wouldnt be true if your mp3 player refuses to play it. Imagine renting a video online, and 24 hours later it magically dissappears, this is an aim of DRM. I don't condone piracy, don't get me wrong. However I appose the fact that you have to treat a computer user as a criminal. As someone had said in another commentary, "the corporate bullies compare piracy with rape and murder, and then sue college students".Those weren't the exact words, but it is as best as I could remember.

Splitting the atom

I compare trusted computing with splitting the atom, the scientist who discovered this wonderful thing later saw the destruction that it could cause.In theory, and this is what I read in an IBM pdf document trying to justify trusted computing, many of the evils predicted by some of the other commentaries, including Richard Stalman from the Free Software Foundation , can be realized. DRM could become possible, anti pirating measures could become possible. The death of free software could become possible, and still this technology exists. I had read an article that Apple is considering fritz chips to stop people from running Mac OS on non mac PC's. This isn't wrong, but it incriminates every computer user. It means that now you will be forced to buy things, even if you don't want them. It enables software and hardware vendors to create a closed market that they control, and it basically undermines the rights of every computer user. There is a banner on the bottom of each of my pages that protests against TCPA, put one on your website if you agree that its a load *&%$.

How can we stop it?

The short answer is that we can't, the long answer is where there is a will there is way. Being informed is the first step. Action should only be taken once you know what your talking about.

External links:

defective by design
Trusted Computing' Frequently Asked Questions
Clarifying Misinformation about TCPA
An anti TCPA website
Bill Arbaugh's Critisism against TCPA
John Gilmore's comments against TCPA
Lucky Green's Defcon presentation
Richard Stallman's Take on Trusted computing