Article explaining tivoisation

[Alex Hudson]

On Tue, 2006-12-19 at 13:02 +0000, Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
> I've posted an explanation of tivoisation and how/why we prevent it:
> http://fsfe.org/en/fellows/ciaran/ciaran_s_free_software_notes/tivoisation_explained_implementation_and_harms
> 
> "Tivoisation explained - implemenation and harms"

I still disagree with the "it just affects a small number of hardware
manufacturers" argument.

For one, the GPLv3 itself makes no distinction like that: it doesn't say
"you only need to provide keys if you also make hardware". 

While the _problem_ is probably best defined as hardware manufacturers
who closely couple the software to the hardware to prevent modification,
the "Tivoisation" clause can affect those people just distributing
software (for example; applications for certain mobile phones, video
games running on consoles, DVD-based quiz games, or any other software
distributed on a channel controlled by a similar technology where the
author is simply a third party). 

The hardware argument is a bit of a red herring.

Cheers,

Alex.