W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by cbhl on Thursday October 03, 2013 @03:52PM (#6491535)

Consider that three of the largest browser makers -- Microsoft, Apple, and Google -- all have arms that deal heavily with media companies.

I dislike DRM as much as the next person, but if it's implemented reasonably (think Steam or Netflix), then many consumers are willing to deal with it. EME was what enabled Netflix on ARM-based Chromebooks, for example; and I prefer EME to not being able to legally access media at all.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by pdonis on Thursday October 03, 2013 @06:06PM (#6492459)

I prefer EME to not being able to legally access media at all.

In other words, you are willing to give up freedom to get--what, exactly? Movies? Music? Eye candy?

I confess I simply can't understand this point of view. People are willing to hand over the Internet to DRM and the media corporations because they can't live without the "entertainment" that Hollywood provides? People are willing to have their computers pwned just so they can watch Netflix? That appalls me.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by cbhl on Thursday October 03, 2013 @06:30PM (#6492593)

I'm writing this comment from a Samsung Chromebook. When I use Chrome OS; I'm already giving up my freedom. Chromium itself is open-source, but there are tons of binary blobs on this device: the accelerated graphics driver for the Mali GPU, the ARM build of Adobe Flash, and the EME implementation that makes Netflix work on my device.

EME is not new. There are already devices shipping with implementations, like mine. If EME is standardized, what it means for me is that there's a chance that my device will work with all DRMed content I want to access, and not on a per-service basis.

We're not talking about giving "big bad media companies" full control of the Ring 0 Hypervisor; I am still perfectly capable of flipping the virtual developer switch on my device and booting a pure version of Linux at any time. If I buy a device ships like that, I hope that future me will have the good sense to return it to the store.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by makomk on Thursday October 03, 2013 @08:25PM (#6493033)

You're giving up a lot more than that. Last I heard, the existing Chrome OS implementation of HTML5 EME refuses to run unless the device is a Chromebook that's locked down to ensure no unauthorized or modified code is running anywhere on the device: enable developer mode and the CDM disables itself.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by pdonis on Thursday October 03, 2013 @07:16PM (#6492787)

When I use Chrome OS; I'm already giving up my freedom.

Yes. Why? (I don't have a Chromebook, and don't use Chrome OS, for this very reason.)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by toyg on Thursday October 03, 2013 @06:29PM (#6492591)

Dude, having your computer pwned is the smallest thing people will give up for entertainment. Romans were happy to hand their Republic to an Emperor, as long as he kept the circensem coming.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by pdonis on Thursday October 03, 2013 @07:18PM (#6492795)

Yes, but the Romans had few other options. Today people have lots of other options.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:W3C green-lights adding DRM to the Web's standards by 8note on Friday October 04, 2013 @03:27AM (#6494169)

If you don't plan on using your laptop for anything outside of entertainment, being able to rewrite the software on the micro that controls the battery charging circuit is not particularly relevant or useful.

[ Parent | on HN ]