Craig - Email The Boingboing Guy About The Drm

[Prophet]

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/09/20/linux..._handheld_.html

I emailed him yesterday, but he's still bonkers over the mention of DRM on www.gp2x.com. And apparently a lot of ppl read his blog. <_<

Maybe he'll believe you, just make it clear who you are in relation to GPH.

I didn't email you cuz I figure you're being hammered with orders and other emails right now.

Someone needs to calm this guy down.

 

[Julius]

He has a point though.

This really needs some clarification by GPH, since DRM is really a hot topic.

 

[craigix]

I already have emailed him - no responce.

-Craig

 

[zebedee]

id hate to think that was anything to do with boingboing magazine the old hacker zine , if it is my respect for them has totally disappeared.

as to drm ... its a linux handheld - wheres the pioneering spirit? if it provides a mechanism for companies to support our lovely shiney new gp2x then cool! if it gets in the way of homebrewing (which we know it wont) its gonna go simple as that

 

[Prophet]

I already have emailed him - no responce.

-Craig

​

I hope he comprehends that you represent the UK arm of GPH, and are as "official" as it gets. <_< He seems rather determined to throw a fit over the DRM.

Oh well, if any of his readers are really interested in GP2X, they'll do their own research anyway.

 

[craigix]

Had 18 orders cancelled over that post already :-/

 

[unlucky]

This is just alarming misinformation is causing craig to lose customers. The gp32 was truly brilliant, it to was not true open source and used drm for commercial software. But game park were still miles ahead of any other company by providing an sdk and lots of encouragement towards developers.

 

[junker]

yeah, people don't like the idea of commercial games or something?

 

[Digital Awakening]

People don't like to pay. Usually that means they don't have a decent sallery because if they had they could just buy whatever they wanted.

 

[zebedee]

if boingboing has so hard line a stance maybe they should remove all the adds from the site?

 

[Saido]

Uh may i ask what DRM is, i only have a slight idea of what it is.
And why are people bothering so much about it?

 

[Squidge]

DRM is Digital Rights Management, and is meant to prevent you from using software bought from someone else for example. The GP32 also had DRM, but it was only ever used for commercial games, and it'll most likely only be used for that on this one too.

So, nothing to worry about.

 

[Digital Awakening]

DRM means that the sofware you buy is locked to a hardware ID either on your console or a memory card so that it can only be used in that console or witht that memory. It's to prevent piracy.

 

[unlucky]

But drm does not prevent homebrew or require coders to send programs to gph to authenticate them for use on the gp2x. Is this the impression its giving or something??

 

[Saido]

DRM is Digital Rights Management, and is meant to prevent you from using software bought from someone else for example. The GP32 also had DRM, but it was only ever used for commercial games, and it'll most likely only be used for that on this one too.

So, nothing to worry about.

​

Why are people making such a big fuss about it then?

 

[Alpha2]

obviously because they're scared of any mention of it even if it dosent effect them.

 

[Eolair]

It's called paranoia

 

[Tobriand]

Most mentions of DRM on mainstream sites (sic: Slashdot) are in an intensely negative light. For obvious reasons - they're talking about DVDs and CDs where the DRM used can variously prevent fair use to destroying you computer (early versions if you had a Mac).

Result: DRM is now a byword for Corporate Enslavement, even if you're talking about the capability of a machine of performing it (a la GP32 or even your own PC in all liklihood) as opposed to requiring it to be used ("trusted computing" iirc or even the Zodiac system of authentication).

This is, of course, woefully incorrect.

 

[Prophet]

Craig, sorry to hear that.

Ask Anna or someone at GPH to email the guy and explain it. If he won't believe you, and he won't believe GPH, then perhaps he's just being a drama queen who enjoys creating controversy.

Perhaps those 18 people will come back after the GP2X is released and the air clears.

 

[Comitar]

Hey guys, I'm the original guy who sent that story into BoingBoing.

Now before you all start flaming, a few things:

One, read the comments at the respective post at my company blog. That will clear up loads, like basiclally why I will still buy the system, and that the unit is cool, and some other stuff.

Second, if anyone wants to know why I still think DRM is bad, I encourage anyone to read this article by the poster of that story (Cory Doctrow), read this transcript of a talk he gave to a Microsoft Research team. As you can see, when he gets annoyed about DRM, well, he works for the EFF and all so he is sort of experienced in the matter.

And before someone pulls the argument that games and movies and music are different, yes, in essence they are, but when it comes to DRM that does the same thing to them all.

Viva la GP2X!

Chris