That which is not allowed is forbidden :: Can you trust your computer?

Stallman on DRM and TC

RMS has a new editorial out addressing the continuing DRM and TC sideshow. Herein referred to as Digital Restrictions Management and Treacherous Computing.
This idea that you can create expiring documents is the most bogus piece of orwellian claptrap that I've seen in a while. In the real world we have archivist and librarians charged with preserving dcouments and records. The people pushing this are convinced that you want the capability to recall hastily sent emails. Where is this precedent in the real world? If anything emails lightning speed should be a hint of caution to craft your messages with great care.

The technical idea underlying treacherous computing is that the computer includes a digital encryption and signature device, and the keys are kept secret from you. (Microsoft's version of this is called "palladium.") Proprietary programs will use this device to control which other programs you can run, which documents or data you can access, and what programs you can pass them to. These programs will continually download new authorization rules through the Internet, and impose those rules automatically on your work. If you don't allow your computer to obtain the new rules periodically from the Internet, some capabilities will automatically cease to function.