Can't own your own hard drive now?!

[Guest]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/15655.html

Take a look at this article at the Register. It looks like we can't own our own hard drives anymore. I REALLY hope this cannot pass. We should all make clear our opinions on it.

Charles

 

[Guest]

Yeah, it's catastrophic to say the least. In fact I'm amazed it hasn't reached the frontpage here at Tom's yet(he doesn't even mention it). We seriously need to spread the word around so everyone can start campaigning/taking counter measures. After all this is no small deal w. IBM, Toshiba Intel and Matsushita being the initiators.

This is liable to take our freedom away, "Read it and you will understand the severity!!!"

BTW: Here's the link for the Original post on "the Reg", explaining who, why, where and when:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/15620.html

 

[Bubba]

I wouldn't worry, I don't think it will go very far. Remember Intel tried to put serial numbers on their processors to track them, identify them systems on the internet, and to cut down on software piracy. People first came out with software to disable the serial numbers and then people got pissed, stopped buying them, and Intel finally stopped doing it.
Same thing will probably happen with this if it even makes it that far.

 

[Bandit]

Yeah. I wouldn't worry about it either. If IBM does this, simple buy a Western Digital hard drive or Maxtor or Seagate or Quantum. There are plenty of acceptable hard drives out there, and you can bet one of them won't use this new feature. The people who suffer are going to be the ones who buy from OEMs.

 

[Guest]

No offense guys(really mean it) but it's laid back attitudes exactly like yours that the big company execs are hoping for. That way they'll be able to sneak CPRM in the backdoor so suddenly it'll be too late to prevent it. In case anyone should doubt the severity of CPRM(whether it'll be hackable or not) just think of measures such as Intels CPU multiplier locks, which hasn't been and probably never will be hacked for the simple reason that Intel doesn't want it hacked. I'm afraid that we can't rely solely on the hacking underground w. this one. We have to get up off our asses and SPEAK OUT, SPREAD THE WORD WHEREVER YOU GO!!!

Regarding other HDDs then YES naturally you can buy brands other than IBM, but first of all most HDD manufacturers target the OEM market, meaning CPRM will be implemented in the vast majority of HDs(if implemented). As a consequense the data on these CPRM-HDDs will be incompatible w. non-CPRM HDDs. Sure, we can sit back and hope for some manufacturers not to implement CPRM and thereby allowing us our own small secluded HD-world. However, why shouldn't we try to achieve the best case scenario here by speaking up and letting IBM, Intel and the like know that freedom isn't quite dead yet. Then, WHEN we've reached our goals, we can sit back and enjoy the freedom, but not before. My worries are that people are taking our current freedom for granted and wont wake up until it's too late. Now, I wish I could just write this whole deal up to paranoia and say that it's simply too crazy and that it isn't going to happen, but I'm afraid the indications point in another direction.

Also if CPRM isn't alarming enough for you, you should know that it's just the beginning. Currently measures are also being taken to implement copy protection schemes into Motherboards, LCD monitors, flash memory, digital cable interfaces, BIOSes, and OS'es.

Also, in case you didn't know, Intel has actually reintroduced the PIII serials now that people have gone back into zombie mode(forgotten about it).

If you value your current freedom then read the articles below and START ADVOCATING AGAINST IT AND SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

Related Links:
EFF's Gilmore calls for CPRM hardware boycott:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/15686.html

Original Register Article:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/15620.html

Copy protection hard drive plan nixes free software-RMS
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/15682.html

and finally la piece de résistance
-IBM sent some "suits" to persuade The Register that "CPRM isn't so bad after all"(yeah right!!!!):

"CPRM on hard drives - IBM takes a spin":
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/15684.html

 

[Guest]

Part of my own little rebellion will be to buy current gen hard drives large enough that I won't need any new ones for a while. Though it is indeed pretty hopeful and idealistic, I think it is a pretty safe bet as I still have not filled up my one 17.2 GB hard drive. Buying 3 or 4 80GB in the next year or two should leave me pretty safe (if they don't leave the market too soon).

BTW, usually when introducing a new "standard", IBM and Intel can pretty effectively get the whole computer industry manufacturers to sway with them. So this new scheme will likely be implemented on all hard drives regardless of brand, if it gets through the courts.

Charles

 

[Guest]

Yeah Charles, stocking up on current gen hard drives is also part of my plan eventhough I don't consider storage space as much of a problem. After all, whatever "critical" data I have is normally put onto CD-R's or CD-RW's! However, facing the task of buying new HDD's, or other HW for that matter, raises an annoying question which is: "should I boycot the CPRM initiators(which means compromising on quality since IBM clearly makes the best IDE-drives currently available and Intel also makes the occasional decent CPU)???? In the case of the CPU it's an easy choice, just go w. AMD. HDD's, however is a completely different matter alltogether since IMO IBM is THE CLEAR HDD of choice(quality wise). So what do we choose??, do we choose what's best for ourselves(no boycot), or do we buy to support the greater good of our community(boycot the fucks)??? IMO the choice should be pretty obvious! Despite my partiality to IBM HDD's currently I wouldn't accept one even if someone paid me to(no BS!).

Claus

 

[Bandit]

Half the reason I won't speak up is because I hate lobby groups. Sure, they do some good. But in the US, an 18 year old can marry, have kids, own a house and vote, but they have to wait 3 years to drink a beer. Thak you MADD for the most assinine implimentation of law I have ever witnessed. By the way, I am 22, and live in Canada. So I'm not just bitching cause I can't drink yet.

If this get's implimented, which I doubt it will, but IF it does, sure the OEM market will use the drives. And the average joe will buy his computer, and flood their tech support lines asking why his MP3s won't play. Then, he will go to another OEM. Stock will take a hit, and the technology will vanish.

In the meantime, I will solder or get a patch or do whatever it takes to get past this stuff. This in turn will make me that much more 133t than I already am! <jk>

Bottom line is, the industry are free to do what they want. I am free to buy what I want. If they want to make money, I would say it is in their best interests to sell what consumers want to buy. And if consumers are willing to buy copy protected hard drives, then all our complaining will do no good. If not, then the technology will be short lived.

 

[Guest]

Bandit! Normally I couldn't agree more w. you on the issue of lobby groups, however when I encourage people to campaign/spread the word("lobby") in this case it's out of pure necessity. Like yourself I too know I'll be doing just fine personally if CPRM is implemented but that's really besides the point. The point is that currently we're all in the progress of being stripped of some basic rights, behind our backs even. If this was brought to the attention of the greater public(popularized, in the right way. To be honest it needs to be spelled out!) I'm sure it'll piss most people off and usually if enough people get pissed off some attention will also be brought to the issue.

You say that it's in the industry's best interests to sell what consumers want to buy, I agree. The only problem w. that is that the "average Joe" doesn't really now what he wants/needs which in effect means IBM, Intel etc. can treat him exactly as they like. In other words the average comsumer is only going to buy a copy protected hard drive if not convinced otherwise. Therefore it rest upon us who consider ourselves knowledgeable to "translate" the message to the attention of the greater public(convince them), meaning that lobbying is required. Certainly some cyber-campaigning can't be seen as too much of an effort with such an important issue. After all the best/worst that can come from our efforts is as much negative publicity concerning CPRM as possible

best regards
>Claus<