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Comment by Retric | Hacker News Reader

There is little wrong with DRM as a concept, "But" just because you call something DRM does not mean it should be able to do anything.

IMO, a DRM bill of rights needs to exist to qualify for government protection. Data needs to be transferable FOR FREE to a new user. You can't shut down your DRM servers without first removing the DRM. You can't remotely change anything on a user’s system. Source code must be freely available for security researchers. DRM can only protect information not the operation of a physical device.

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That's a good idea, but I don't see it happening. Perverse incentives abound on every side. Everyone wants this tilted their way.

We had a very good system in the age of printed and recorded media. Not perfect, but good. We just have to figure out how to update it, or figure out a new one. Part of my point was that this hasn't happened yet, and I'm sad that few seem to be thinking about this from all sides snd really working on it.

> DRM can only protect information not the operation of a physical device.

So I think it would actually be reasonable for the DRM to protect a physical device; but the contract should be structured as such.

If I have title to my car and can dispose of it as I see fit; I shouldn't have to abide by DRM. If it is rented and doesn't actually belong to me, then I could see technological mechanisms such as limiting mileage or range as a valid way to enforce part of the contract.

What the line of appropriate vs. not appropriate is of course not necessarily black and white; but I do think John Deere is in the wrong here and the farmer is in the right.

In a hypothetical situation where DRM caused a car to shut down on the way to a hospital ‘slightly out of range’ that’s hard to justify. The other major issue is a 'hacker' being able to remotely shut down a fleet of rental cars is less than ideal. Just picture a corn harvest where no Tractor worked for 1 week.

However, I can see using something like DRM to protect information about how a rented device is operated or where it is being more reasonable. (You drove X miles, where speeding, did not change the oil on a leased car.)

There is little wrong with DRM except everything about DRM. None of the exceptions you've called for would even be an issue without DRM.

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