Linux-Libre and Trechearous Computing

[Alexandre Oliva]

On Feb 17, 2010, Ted Smith <teddks at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, 2010-02-17 at 02:21 -0200, Alexandre Oliva wrote:
>> On Feb 16, 2010, Ted Smith <teddks at gmail.com> wrote:

>> Since their (non-Free) boot loader will refuse to boot up the kernel if
>> the boot partition isn't signed, Tivo prevents any unauthorized changes
>> to the system, without requiring a fully-frozen root filesystem.

> To maintain my point: if the non-free boot loader was replaced by a free
> one, we could strip out the other code that uses the TPM.

Yup.  As long as the replacement was still Free, i.e., not also Tivoized
by some earlier software loader.

> Non-free software is the problem, not the TPM.

+1

> I feel that TPMs could still be very useful as a security device,

Likewise.  Useful for privacy, too.

AFAIK the origins of TPM research and development have little to do with
control *over* users.  And, even if it isn't so, it can still be put to
very good uses.

Trusted Computing is welcome, it's Treacherous Computing that's the
enemy.

-- 
Alexandre Oliva, freedom fighter    http://FSFLA.org/~lxoliva/
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Gandhi
Be Free! -- http://FSFLA.org/   FSF Latin America board member
Free Software Evangelist      Red Hat Brazil Compiler Engineer