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Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by throwaway894345 on Monday January 25, 2021 @05:15PM (#25909691)
My understanding is that DMCA precludes cracking DRM or even sharing information on how to do the same, so in the case of digital repairs, does that mean DMCA takes precedence over right-to-repair if a particularly stubborn OEM applies DRM to their digital systems?
Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by syshum on Monday January 25, 2021 @06:14PM (#25910266)
It would depend on the wording of the Right to Repair law

Most of them are placing a burdern on the Manufacturer of the products to release tools, documentations, parts, etc that allow independent repair, this type of right to repair would not in anyway be in conflict with DMCA, as DMCA allows manufacturers to release tools to "circumvent" their own production, what is illegal is a 3rd party releasing a tool with out manufacture/copyright holder agreement

Most state level right to repair laws say "Fine if you want to sell a device that does not allow for independent repair you product is not welcome in this state"

Thus no conflict with DMCA

Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by DaiPlusPlus on Monday January 25, 2021 @06:31PM (#25910425)
> "Fine if you want to sell a device that does not allow for independent repair you product is not welcome in this state"

There's still a lot of wiggle-room in there - Apple, for example, could argue that they're fine with "repair" being for things like replacing "dumb" iPhone components like the display and battery, but because the T2 security chip is an encapsulated, irreducible, atomic, component of the phone that being non-repairable is a design feature as that's how it protects the user's private data (and Apple's DRM...) they shouldn't be legally compelled to release the details of the T2 chip.

...or something.

Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by at-fates-hands on Monday January 25, 2021 @06:43PM (#25910517)
I think most people would be fine with having a certain set of parts that could be repaired. I'm not sure how many people need to have their T2 security chip replaced as opposed to say their microphone, display, rear camera, battery etc.

You could probably cover a big chunk of the most common repairs without having to crack open or tamper with Apple's proprietary software like the T2.

That alone would be a huge win for the right to repair movement.

Re:Right to Repair off to the races in 2021 with 14 active s... by brian_herman on Monday January 25, 2021 @09:04PM (#25911582)
Yeah, plus if apple or other companies with secret security chips gave repair shops a way to buy these chips from apple or a module that would come from apple that is easily replaceable but tamper proof. That would be cool. We don't need to have all the details on the T2 chip just make it modular and easily replaceable. Loss of data is OK but if I can take my T2 chip to a different phone with a different screen that would be good.