From: "rra42" <rra42@yahoo.co.uk>
I got the impression that an open source document or application will not run on a "fritzed" PC unless the code had been signed/certified:
That would kill all type of backwards compatibility. Can you imagine a future Windows that can not run any current application? I can't, nobody would buy it.
And there's more. Every program you want to execute has to be certified.
According to the TCPA this is simply incorrect. I'm sure it will be possible to have a setting that only allowes certified code to run, this would for example be useful on network server to protect against viruses and worms, or when you don't want your employees to install games on companies computers. :-) But making a version of Windows that doesn't run legacy code *at all* is like making a completely new operating system. And who would buy that? The reason people run windows is because there is so much software for it. And Microsoft is well aware of that fact, and trust me, they won't make an OS that has no software to it. They tried that once (OS/2) and it didn't work. :-) Also, if you wouldn't be able to run Linux on Fritzed hardware then you wouldn't buy Fritzed hardware, and your problem would be solved. And who would benefit from that? Well, certainly not TCPA...