First, the news from the Milking department:
(http://gartner12.gartnerweb.com/public/static/home/today/il0731003.html)
"Event: Recent discussions with Gartner clients indicate that Microsoft's
sales force has begun using an internal question-and-answer document on
licensing issues to pressure enterprises to consider purchasing
operating system (OS) upgrade protection for all workstations. The
justification is that without upgrade protection, enterprises are not
permitted to reimage workstations using media provided through the
Microsoft Select program, from Microsoft worldwide fulfillment or
commercially purchased copies of Windows � even if the workstation is
reimaged with exactly the same version of Windows as delivered by the
OEM.
First Take: Here is the technical explanation: When an enterprise
purchases any version of a Windows machine from an OEM (e.g., Compaq
Computer, Dell Computer or IBM), included is an Windows OEM end-user
license agreement (EULA). An OEM EULA is an agreement between the OEM
and the customer; it is not an agreement between Microsoft and the
customer. The OEM EULA that comes with a new desktop system or server is
a license for only the OEM copy of the OS. Reimaging this machine with a
standard image developed by the enterprise using Select media is not
permitted by Microsoft. The organization must purchase some type of
Microsoft upgrade license � i.e., Upgrade Advantage (UA), Version
Upgrade Program (VUP), Product Upgrade Program (PUP) or Competitive
Upgrade Program (CUP).
Once the OEM license is covered by a Microsoft upgrade license, it then
becomes a Select license and the enterprise would then legally be able
to use the Select media to reimage the machine. However, once the
machine is reimaged with Select media, the OEM is no longer liable for
any default OS support that comes with the machine. Unfortunately,
purchasing upgrade protection from Microsoft to permit the reimaging
does not include support from Microsoft. This is available from
Microsoft at an approximate additional cost of $375 per support request."
Next, the question:
How long will it be before we see DVD-player-style PCs, with crypto
modules between the CPU and the rest
(http://www.eet.com/story/OEG20000818S0036 hint, hint) that will run
only approved OSes ?
The pieces will be in place soon, and the system is trivial.
The firmware will check if playing the specific OS is allowed on the
specific box, by checking keys embedded in the OS, very much like DVD
region protection works. Legal framework that criminalizes reverse
engineering and encryption circumvention is already in place. The PCs
that legally play only Windoze, or whatever, can become very real.
This already happened with the cell phones - if you are not a cell phone
hacking expert, and you want to switch the provider you must buy another
unit of the *same* model, because the one you have is locked into
Pacific Hell, for example.
All S/W hoarders will support this. This is the most effective way to
remove other OSes from the market. PCs can be packaged with the specific
OS, and owners locked in. Think "free" internet access boxes ...
This is the best reason to fight DeCSS that I can think of.
Or there will be nothing to run your PGP 2.6.2 on.
On the bright side, we get rid of the FSF cult :-)
