Feb. 17, 2009 is the day the digital age will begin its takeover

[jenai]

What this means is, DRM will kick in and your HDTV can only show content that has the right to be shown on it. If you have not paid for it, then you get a blank screen or perhaps a polite one asking you to pay for the right.

Your own home made movies will work, but if you copyright them and limit rights only a chosen few of many will get to see them too.

MPAA and RIAA may start putting more pressure on Linux manufacturers like RH and Ubuntu to erode GPL in an effort to protect digital rights of corporations.

In response Ubuntu is allowing a version that is free of non-free software, and can "legally" use an approved but crippled form of LinuxDVD.

However, Febraury 17, 2009 will mark the end of free software as you know it today.

You have been warned.

[jenai]

it's also the day when your grandparent's 1984 electrohome color tv with the rabbit ears will never receive another analog broadcast again.

[Filo]

yeah... but with rabbit ears you do know that there are 2 HD channels available with 3 more coming within the next year or two

Free CBC HD hockey... oh yeeeaaaahhhh

[thebobman]

'Cause nobody will figure out how to strip off that DRM. Certainly not if it's so widespread and common.

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by jenai

MPAA and RIAA may start putting more pressure on Linux manufacturers like RH and Ubuntu to erode GPL in an effort to protect digital rights of corporations.

And if they do the vendors will either face litigation (for eroding the GPL) or death (because someone else will choose the more free route and everybody will hop onto that one).

Technology generally works so that demand creates systems, instead of the other way around. Sometimes a system will generate demand because it gives a service people will want, but if they start eroding what made it useful, people will look for something else.

Happened to:
MUDs
ICQ
Friendster
etc.

[rawb]

THINGS THIS POST PROVES JENAI KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT :
DRM
LINUX
DIGITAL TELEVISION
THE GPL
MOVIE DISTRIBUTION
FREE SOFTWARE

l

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by rawb

THINGS THIS POST PROVES JENAI KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT :
DRM
LINUX
DIGITAL TELEVISION
THE GPL
MOVIE DISTRIBUTION
FREE SOFTWARE

l

You can also add broadcast laws to that.

It is illegal for you not to be able to receive a CBC signal (analog or digital) for free.

This is what happens when you read articles describing American Broadcast laws and try to use them to discuss Canadian law.

[decypher]

If you guys are interested in communications policy, intellectual property, free culture and software you should check out Tim Wu, Lawrence Lessig, Michael Geist (especially for Canadian policy). Lots of stuff going on in Canada right now with the attack on "fair-use." There's quite a movement against this sort of corporate interest in technology/culture control.