Re: Why DRM exists [was Re: Flame Linus to a crisp!]

[Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>]

On Sul, 2003-04-27 at 17:59, Larry McVoy wrote:
> What seems to be forgotten is that the people who are locking things up
> are the people who own those things 

Untrue. If I buy an X-box who owns it ? If I sold you a house and it had
a room in it I didnt let you have access to with one way mirrors out
watching all your activity would you be upset ? (and dont argue you
wouldnt buy it - there wont be any other house types)

> it is OK to take it if you want it.  Napster is a good example.  I don't
> like the record companies any better than anyone else but they do own
> the material and you either respect the rules or the record companies
> will lock it up and force you to respect the rules.

They want to lock it up as much to keep out small players as to stop
piracy. Not that they shouldn't be allowed to stop piracy

> factor in the emergence of the DMCA and DRM efforts.  This community
> thinks it is perfectly acceptable to copy anything that they find useful.
> Take a look at some of the recent BK flamewars and over and over you
> will see people saying "we'll clone it".   That's not unique to BK,

Build something making the same things possible and then more. But then
thats exactly what BK did. Does that make you a crook ?

Alan