Yes, yes, but what about...
Jun. 26th, 2008 07:33 amSo, here's
a commentary post on Microsoft's proposed "Digital Manners Policies." It's
a pretty straightforward idea: let devices accept broadcast commands that
limit functionality, such as forcing cellphones into vibrate mode in movie
theatres and shutting of photo-taking in locker rooms (as for that second
one, is there a big problem with that or are people just being paranoid?).
Apparently OnStar (the nice people who live inside certain cars) are already
building in some of this functionality, putting in a mechanism that lets
police shut off your engine remotely (can anyone see why this functionality
would make me really uncomfortable? Hint: it has little to do with the
enforcement of laws).
The article brings up lots of the problems with this system -- the one that
mainly concerns me is "how do we keep the bad guys from taking advantage of
it?" I mean, if the cops can shut off my car engine, why can't a
car-jacker? If movie theatres can shut off my phone, why not a
home-invader?
But even more than raising my (already-heightened) concern over these
policies (which would take control of my devices away from me), this article
made me *really* want to play
Shadowrun. Like, a lot.
a commentary post on Microsoft's proposed "Digital Manners Policies." It's
a pretty straightforward idea: let devices accept broadcast commands that
limit functionality, such as forcing cellphones into vibrate mode in movie
theatres and shutting of photo-taking in locker rooms (as for that second
one, is there a big problem with that or are people just being paranoid?).
Apparently OnStar (the nice people who live inside certain cars) are already
building in some of this functionality, putting in a mechanism that lets
police shut off your engine remotely (can anyone see why this functionality
would make me really uncomfortable? Hint: it has little to do with the
enforcement of laws).
The article brings up lots of the problems with this system -- the one that
mainly concerns me is "how do we keep the bad guys from taking advantage of
it?" I mean, if the cops can shut off my car engine, why can't a
car-jacker? If movie theatres can shut off my phone, why not a
home-invader?
But even more than raising my (already-heightened) concern over these
policies (which would take control of my devices away from me), this article
made me *really* want to play
Shadowrun. Like, a lot.