Re: [SLUG] FW: Phoenix to develop DRM-equipped BIOS

[Richard Neal]

Dear ooh dear, there are enough Linux users out there to be a market 
onto themselves. Ive actually found a Taiwanese mobo maker that sends a 
copy of Mandrake out with the motherboard and there is also LinuxBios, 
if you dont like that DRM enabled BIOS you can just burn your own "NO 
BLOAT (TM)" 2 second booting LinuxBios (also supports Windows) for a few 
common motherboards. I also can't see companies like HP and IBM liking 
this as they have some very big customers who use Linux.

What allot of people forget is the people who buy/recommend hardware are 
often "Linux users" and they are not going to be game to buy/recommend a 
motherboard thats "Win only", and I cant see a motherboard maker being 
happy at losing about 10-20% of the market to some other up and coming 
Motherboard maker; also watching IBM and HP walk won't be a big 
incentive either.

I would say when this will hits the market, people will go "wtf I can't 
do this or that" and then get pissed and tell everyone never to buy a PC 
with this crap in it. Also I wonder if the PC makers have paid a license 
fee to philips/Sony as they own the DRM technology patent (and no 
Microsoft hasn't paid for a DRM license and right now are getting sued 
for billions by Philips/Sony. Wonder if all the Windows users will have 
to pay for a DRM license because Microsoft didn't).

Regards

Richard Neal

** Often in this high tech age the best tool is a rock. **

Mihaly wrote:
 This was posted to the aus.linux.comp ng just today.

 I dont know about you guys (and grrls :) ) but this sort of stuff scares
the bejesus out of me. please read carefully before posting an opinion:
Mihaly




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