Up-to-date TCPA Member List

Michael Ritter writes "This night, the AgainstTCPA project released an up-to-date version of the TCPA memberlist. Instead of the already known 184, it lists 200 companies, including newly joined VIA and Sony. Three companies that were listed on the old one are missing on the new list. See the full list..."

Old hardware becomes valuable....

[brianjcain]

Start gathering old (or at least current) hardware now. If you're good at soldering, you might be able to wait a bit longer -- modchips will probably work on the first generation TCPA products.

Yeah, TCPA is pure evil. Make no mistake, I can't stand the fact that everyone's on board with this. But at least some good things might come about -- not having to remember 1000 passwords would be kinda cool. (Especially on your computer at work, where those Nazis [slashdot.org] are conspiring to control your every move anyways.)

Re:Old hardware becomes valuable....

[infolib]

Start gathering old (or at least current) hardware now.

Not necessary. You can simply switch off TCPA. Then of course you won't be allowed to download movies from MPAA-approved-moviesite.com, but that's no different from using old hardware.

TCPA technical analysis [kuro5hin.org]

Re:Old hardware becomes valuable....

[Alsee]

You can simply switch off TCPA.

Actually there's a good chance programs will be able to "cheat" and access TCPA even when you disable it. This question was covered in the interview with the AMI BIOS representitive. He acknowledged the issue but gave an inadaquate analysis of the implications.

He said that there were three possible ways to "switch TCPA off". (1) in software (2) as a BIOS setting or (3) a hardware jumper on the motherboard. In case (1) software can obviously switch it back on. In (2) things are more complicated, but software may still be able to switch it on. The only way to be sure TCPA is off is if the motherboard manufactures CHOOSE to make it a hardware switch AND they do it in a way that LOCKS the hardware in a totally inert state.

IMO motherboard manufacturers are unlikely to choose method (3). It's easier to manage things in software and dealing with motherboard jumper settings is a nightmare for tech support.

The AMI representitive sort of dismissed it by saying that it would take a reboot to establish a proper boot sequene root of trust. Two problems. Either the software can demand a reboot as part of the instalation process or the software can activate TCPA and make do without the proper bootup root of trust. It wouldn't be fully according to spec, but it would still work. And if they are going to "cheat" by activating your disabled TCPA then there's no reason they wont cheat be working around the missing boot sequence as well.

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It's way simpler than that.

[spitzak]

It does not matter if you have a guaranteed way to turn TCPA off.

A useful program just have to insist that it be turned on or it won't work. This is pretty much the equivalent of removing the ability to ever turn it off.

Re:It's way simpler than that.

[Alsee]

This is pretty much the equivalent of removing the ability to ever turn it off.

I agree 100%, but my post is an excellent point when we're not preaching to the choir. There are alot of people who believe the pro-TCPA disinformation campaign.

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4 of top 5 PC vendors

[bill_mcgonigle]

Four out of the Top 5 PC Vendors [com.com] are on the list (HP, Dell, Gateway, IBM).

Only Apple is missing. I guess they'll stick to "Don't Steal Music" [apple.com].

Re:4 of top 5 PC vendors

[Toy G]

TCPA is not a great deal for the company that created iPod. Apple future is not in personal computing; it's in small, intelligent and useful appliances. Apple will shine in building those, because of all its experience in human interface design. That kind of market needs to be free of expand and find its own standards, without limitation imposed by the TCPA concepts.

And don't forget that this way, "thinking different", they revamped themselves. They just can't afford to be "confused" with all the other manufacturers. They are Apple, they are always special, you buy that concept, not just their miserable processors :)

Ignore it and it will go away

[freestyle-fiend]

If 'Trusted' features are opt-in only, then won't I be able to run my box with a TCPA processor in exactly the same way that I do currently? Won't some of these manufacturers continue to sell some processors without these 'features'?

I see no reason for any of these manufacturers not to do both. The processors which are not part of TCPA ought to be cheaper because they don't do everything that the TCPA processors do and are simpler to make. After all, a large section of the market will just reject trusted computing.

I still see the problem that if there are *any* 'trusted' computers, then there will be content that I can't use. Though I object morally on these grounds, I have to live with that already.

Ignore it and it will get worse

[PetWolverine]

What's to guarantee that trusted features will stay opt-in forever? Once this is legislated, our tyrannical government will find ways to extend the original legislation in any way possible.

We need to get the lizards and aliens [slashdot.org] out of office or we'll all be wishing we lived in a country as free as Iraq.

If you ask me, Microsoft and their monopoly aren't nearly as dangerous to this country as Republicans and Democrats and their duopoly. Before we worry about competition in the software industry, maybe we should open the political industry to competition. I'm for OSG--open source government! Vote for Linus in 2004!

Damn...

[z01d]

i've been talking about TCPA to my manager for several times during lunch, told him what the TCPA is, and how evil it is. and just right now, i saw the name of the company which i'm currently working for on that list, and i'm not surprised. Damn! i should know this...

TCPA?

[Jaegar]

I've never really had an issue with trusing my computers. They seem friendly enough. They're just sitting there. Waiting. And as far as I can tell, they generally keeping to themselves and don't hang out with the wrong crowds. Now users, I have issues with them. They're always mucking everything up.

Strange

[CakerX]

Microsoft is on the list, someone who has the most experiance and most to gain in DRM!

Something smells rotten, and its not comming from IBM. I would seriously like to see how this new technology develops, sinec we all know IBM HATES microsoft, the chip might plug purposly put in holes in windows for all we know? WHY??!?!? Because its IBMs way of saying "fuck you, for fucking us over" to microsoft!