> A comparison of the predictions of science fiction
> pessimists, like William Gibson,
I've always found Gibson's stuff bracing -- the dystopia is always leavened by some great power-jabs against the Silicon bourgies. "Neuromancer" remains one of the epochal texts of the ages.
> folks not ‘in the business’. If adopted widely
> however, it’ll be biting us all quite firmly upon the
> buttocks. Particularly those who’re using Linux,
> FreeBSD, etc. Long story short – your data will no
> longer be, well, your data.
What makes this different from all the other failed copy-protection schemes of the past? Open source costs less and is more secure, right? Sure, maybe Wintel will muscle some of the lesser industry lights into an alliance, but why should East Asia/the EU/Eastern Europe/SE Asia go along with this?
-- DRR