[Linux-aus] Microsoft Office 2003 lock-in via DRM

[Les Bell]

Jeff Waugh <jdub at perkypants.org> wrote:

>>
Oh, but dude, that is security! Haven't you heard about security? :-)
<<

I've just been having some discussions about this very topic in Another
Place. The general opinion seems to be that it's not possible to implement
an open source DRM system; someone quoted me Bruce Schneier: "Any system
where the device and the secrets within the device are under the control of
different people has a fundamental security flaw." and I tend to believe
that what Bruce Schneier says is true.

However, a part of me tends to believe that there has to be a way around
this. And since it's certainly possible to provide *security* in an
open-source system, there's a nasty asymmetry here, imho.

Finally, do I really want my data to be held in a device is under the
control of a software vendor with an alarming track record on both security
and privacy? As Jonathon Oxer said, the OASIS formats have to be the way to
go, and since Office 2003 is likely to force upgrades on others for
compatibilty, this makes the OASIS formats even more attractive.

Best,

--- Les Bell, RHCE, CISSP
[http://www.lesbell.com.au]