Re: Ann: New FileSystem library for HPGCC

On Wed, 01 Mar 2006 19:23:06 -0600, Claudio Lapilli wrote:

The SD card was designed to work also as a flash rom to
publish software pretty much like ROM cards for the HP48GX
(a ROM for the user, but a rewritable device for the original
software published there, very interesting concept although
never used). That's when the encryption comes into play.

The SD card implements
"Content Protection for Recordable Media" (CPRM)
and "Secure Digital Music Initiative" (SDMI)

See topic #4 here:
http://www.sdcard.org/sd_memorycard/index.html

"Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM),
the copyright protection technology used for the SD Memory Card,
is key to enabling a new distribution system for music and other
commercial media, because it assures a high level of protection
against illegal copying... is restricted to 3 copies in compliance
with the SDMI specification. All SD-Audio products comply with SDMI
[see below for definition of SDMI]

Having a proven record in DVD, this protection is enhanced
in the SD Memory Card through the use of key revocation technology
that is built into the card... The card's control circuitry
allows data to be read and written (in its protection area)
only when appropriate external devices are detected...
Access to the SD Memory Card must be enabled
by authentication between devices..."
[see the detailed diagram accompanying all this]
[key revocation - you think you bought it,
but you can subsequently be denied access,
and you can be required to be tracked to even use it]

Commentators on CPRM:
(including threats to incorporate it into hard drives)

http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0102.html#1
http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/dvd/whatswrong.html
http://www.eff.org/IP/DRM/CPRM/20010328_eff_cprm_alert.html

"Copyright Fascism at work" [sorry for OT politics :]
http://www.antipope.org/charlie/linux/shopper/158.html
"SDMI is the Secure Digital Music Initiative, basically
a music industry scheme to render CDs and MP3s obsolete
and to forcibly replace all existing commercial music media
with ones that aren't copyable."

http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/intellectual/law/fair/technology/study.html
"CPRM uses the technology to embed the interests of powerful
organizations [directly into a product] without public discussion.
.... technology, far from being neutral, is designed with assumptions
that wind up controlling what we do and how. In this case,
what is being embedded -- in removable media, if not permanent media
-- is the presumption that we are guilty until proven innocent."

"Stealth plan puts copy protection into every hard drive"
[hasn't happened -- yet]
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/12/20/stealth_plan_puts_copy_protection
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/01/10/everything_you_ever_wanted

DRM nightmares:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69763,00.html?tw=wn_story_top5
"Halderman wrote about [a CD installing DRM software using AutoRun
without user knowledge or consent], and that [holding down the
Shift key could prevent installation] in an academic paper
and posted it online. Within 24 hours, SunnComm was threatening
a $10 million lawsuit, and vowing to refer Halderman to authorities
for allegedly committing a felony under the controversial
Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA."
[this is why Claudio should be very careful]

Video Content Protection System
http://www.licensing.philips.com/vcps
"after 1 July 2005, digital video recorders in the United States
will have to encrypt recorded TV broadcasts that carry a flag...
The implementation of VCPS in DVD+R/+RW equipment and discs is not mandatory,
but equipment and discs without VCPS capability will be unable to record
or playback TV broadcast in USA that is protected with the Broadcast Flag..
Manufacturers of blank DVD+R and DVD+RW media simply need to place
VCPS-related information in the ADIP (Address-in-Pregroove) of their discs"
[user has no access to or control of this disk area, much like an SD area]


But in any case, the SD card organization charges US$ 3000
for the documents that explain how to use an SD card,
and they also force you to sign an NDA.

How much did HP originally charge developers (of application cards)
for access to the inner workings of the HP48 series?

Dave Arnett describes (and apologizes) in the HP48 FAQ for some original
extraordinary over-protection of the Equation library in its add-on card.

Free is good but if we overdo it we kill the industry and that's bad too.

Yes, but I have faint suspicion that the score is very lopsided
in industry's favor, and that the end of music & video production
is not yet in sight, depite some religions that might like to ban it
(think Taliban, but no doubt some anguished Catholic will respond :)

It's also noted that this egregious technology benefits neither
consumer nor original artist, but mainly the distributor,
who owns everything now, while you can only rent a peek.

Sorry this was so OT; I should have posted it on Joe's site :)
.