Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

Referring to Stallman here is a bit irrelevant, since I believe he doesn't use any mobile communications device out of paranoia.

As long as the security features can be disabled (along with losing access to the data that was intended to be secured by the system). IOW, if subscription to some media is only licensed with DRM intact, disabling the system should result in no access to the DRM content. While some may consider this "preventing legitimate data exchange", if the user is aware of the licensing terms and impact, they have agreed that it is not legitimate.

IMHO, Maemo was too open. I wouldn't want to see what would have happened if Maemo 5 became as popular as Android, with 100 000 apps and 5000 trojans ...

If you want to achieve mass market adoption, you need to protect users from themselves ...

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

I see nothing wrong with this technically. If you don't like subsidy locks/network locks, you should address this via non-technical means (e.g. consumer protection agency or similar) or live in a Free country :-p

See above.

If you don't like copy protection, don't buy copy-protected media. But, not supporting this would probably mean no adoption by non-technical users who don't care about DRM etc., but will "Can I get music from XXX on this phone".

If you want to see N9 be successful to consumers (and not just open source enthusiasts), software developers in the "ecosystem" need to have some reassurance that their development time will be recovered by sales (and not mass piracy).

If you don't like proprietary software ... well the answers are obvious (and have been relatively successful for N900, but it's not a mainstream device/platform is it).

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

Also see Qole's blog post where he calls for Nokia to reconsider platform security. Bottom line: disable aegis by default because it makes no sense any longer to have it there, it's more of a nuisance than anything else.

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

His mention wasn't the point of pasting the citation--it's the summary about the "Trusted Computing Platform" (aka Treacherous Computing Platform) that was the point. The point being that using "trusted" is such a great way to make it sound good, and the blowback being that the freedom hungry consumer would probably be better off calling it "treacherous."

That's part of the problem, isn't it? From the sound of it, you can't turn it off.. and more importantly, DRM is just a SLICE of TC... a mere small pinprick of what TC was supposed to be about. The entire POINT of TC is to remove control from the users and put all ownership back into the hands of whomever controls the "rights" for the system. You can't even so much as BOOT THE OS without permission to do so. (Please read the article for details on TC and on the Fritz chip, for example.)

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

Actually, I would like to confirm that is comletely relevant, since TPM does not target only communication devices.

DRM is completely unacceptable in my opinion.

Actually, it is closed source that makes that scenario very difficult to control. Open source can be reviewed by many sides.

Here is the illustrative video.

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

This is controlled through contract. You are still obliged to pay. Locking a phone to a particular SIM is a form of monopoly.

BTW: they don't need to lock up the phone itself for SIM enforcement. It is enough to use the GSM module for that purpose. This is simply used to justify the closure.

I don't believe somebody else should decide what is run/played on my device.

If I am breaching the law, there is a court for such cases.

Then there is nothing to differentiate the N9 from other devices.

I don't want a mainstream device.

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

The most obvious implication of the diagram from the presentation I've posted is that it is not possible to effectivly use kernel that is not signed by nokia.

Even the bootloader is verified.

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

As the video pointed out at the end... they already decided not to trust you. So, if they don't trust you, why should you trust them?

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

Since my last comment on this thread, I rest my case... :s

Re: What is aegis [MSSF] and how does it affect Free Software development?
 

The problem with this approach to security, is that it is more appealing to big systems (governments, corporations, etc) who actually own the many headsets of the employees. From that point this framework, deserves applause in every aspect.

When you apply this concept to the consumer electronics, it is basically meant to limit the end user (and developer). You could argue that user essentially does not own the device.

I've read the qole's blog post, which calls for dropping of this framework from the official release of N9. It seems that his Easy Debian project is completely bared from N9, unless they disable the framework, or make it disablable by the end users.

So far I have no information if this will be the case.

At some point qole says:

The only thing I have to add to qole's post, is that such open kernel MUST BE SIGNED BY NOKIA, otherwise the "secure" bootloader will refuse to load it. Furthermore the bootloader itself must be signed by nokia as well, since the ROM based bootstrap verifies authenticity and integrity of bootloader.

I guess will have to ask qole for an update.

The question for the n950 users is: does everything else work in "Open Mode" (triggered by unsigned kernel)?

The Open Mode might not be available, if the SIM lock feature is used.

If Nokia does not cooperate on this subject, the only way to "open" device is to somehow disable the ROM ( I assume that this is SoC ROM) bootstrap, or provide external ROM, and for that proper documentation is needed from TI. Pure speculation at the moment.


As for Meego, this was supposed to be included in Meego 1.2, but apparently it was dropped. I suspect this may be the main reason Nokia has decided to push Harmattan forward instead.