Inspirated

I was just reading through this article about Windows Vista’s cost analysis when I realized that Vista is intensive on hardware resources not only because of the new eye-candy features, but also because of various absurd DRM technologies which force data to flow through encryption routines before the user has access to it. Anyone thinking of buying Vista or hardware for running it should read the article. It’s long but really comprehensive about Microsoft’s obvious plans to cripple its users’ freedom.

(I’ve been unable to post actively in my blog for a while because of my mid-term exams. Hopefully, I’ll get back to writing new material before Wednesday.)

I just came across this article on Inquirer about how Windows Vista spells DRM, and why DRM is inherent evil. The author raises some pretty solid points, so be sure to check it out.

Internet is a strange phenomenon. Someone comes up with an idea, it gets popular, and someone else who controls the technology behind that idea tries to monopolize the work. That’s exactly what’s going to happen with YouTube. Adobe has announced that its newer version of Flash media shall include DRM control and forced ads in order to promise content publishers “better ways to deliver, monetize, brand, track and protect video content”. I was preparing myself today for some Microsoft bashing over similar plans from them for Silverlight, but Adobe certainly proved that Ballmer is not the only greedy kid in town.

At a time when even Microsoft is planning to follow Apple’s footsteps for ensuring customer’s rights with DRM-free technologies, AMD decides that it will take its chances of innovating in Digital Restrictions Management. The company plans to ‘block unauthorized access to framebuffer’, which means that you won’t be able to capture videos or screenshots of the contents on your screen unless the content owners authorize your actions. A few months ago, the move would’ve appeared quite expected. However, after it has recently become quite apparent that restrictive technologies like these are not only fool-proof, but are also cause of a prominent discomfort in customers, it appears surprising and even a little ludicrous.

The greatest lesson of history: no one learns lesson from history.

Nowadays, the general perception of media about open source is that of an efficient development model which is rapidly gaining user base. (more…)

At last, there’s some good news for PS3 fans like me. (more…)