[Nottingham] "tivoization", iPhone, and GPLv3 lockout?

[Michael Erskine]

2008/8/7 Martin <martin at ml1.co.uk>:
> In short, the combination of Apple's restrictive "Digital Restrictions
> Management" ("DRM") and the purity of the (L)GPLv3 mean that there can
> be no Open Source software protected by the (L)GPLv3 used on such as the
> Apple iPhone or Microsoft xbox.
> Is this a good idea?

Idea? There is no overall engineered plan between the Free Software
movement and the proprietary corporations that can be constituted as
an "idea": each has their own agenda, namely "retaining freedom" and
"making profit" respectively.

> Is Open Source now really powerful enough to take on the proprietary
> restrictions head-on?

Short answer: Mu: un-ask the question
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_%28negative%29)

It doesn't matter: each are not interested in tackling the other
"head-on". The Free Software movement applies licensing restrictions
to stop corporations removing the freedom from their hard work. The
corporations can't compete with an entity that isn't trying to compete
with their set of rules. If those within the FLOSS circles choose to
compromise their efforts and give up freedom for popularity then that
is entirely up to them: the authors of works are free to choose
whatever licenses they wish.

> Or will it leverage an advantage for Open Source /hardware/?

Perhaps. Don't hold your breath though!

> FreeRunner
> http://openmoko.com/product.html
>
> (Arduino anyone?... http://www.arduino.cc/ )
>
> Or is this all of no consequence?

There are always consequences!

Regards,
Michael Erskine.