[Fsfe-ie] description of Tivoisation - comments sought

[Ben North]

> A lawyer asked me recently how tivoisation works.  I looked around, and
> there was no document explaining it.  So I've put together a description
> below, but I'd like some comments on whether it's understandable and
> complete enough:
>
>
> ===================
> Tivoisation is a way of giving someone a computer whose software can
> be upgraded but which will refuse to run any software that isn't first
> authorised by the manufacturer.

Maybe add something as to why this might be a bad thing.  A priori, it
might not be a bad thing, but the problem comes when the manufacturer is
using software which was distributed with the express intent that any
recipient be able to modify it and run the modified version.  (The GPL
being the case in point.)  The 'fingerprinting' you describe then
effectively takes away that right, thwarting the intent of the copyright
holder for the software.

The description of how it's achieved was clear, I thought.

Ben.