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Open source OSes will probably not have CDMs available, except when prepackaged into a proprietary widget (Android, ChromeOS, B2G is Mozilla decides to play bal
by ferongr 13y ago
Open source OSes will probably not have CDMs available, except when prepackaged into a proprietary widget (Android, ChromeOS, B2G is Mozilla decides to play ball)
- PeterisP 13y agoIf an open source system can run the CDM and is packaged in a proprietary widget; then I am allowed to take that open source system out of the widget, modify it to behave exactly as if it is still in the widget (so that it can still run the CDM) and redistribute the system to everyone.
- ferongr 13y agoIt's very hazy. If the userland (running atop of the Linux kernel) is closed source then there's few things you can do. Also, you can't just rip out binaries and redistribute them at will, EULAs usually forbid it.
- PeterisP 13y agoAs I specifically mentioned, "If an open source system can run the CDM.." - the CDMs run inside a browser, and for an open source browser such as Firefox or Chromium I definitely can modify it and redistribute the modifications; and if Firefox and Chromium can't run the CDMs, well, then they won't get used much since that's the majority of users.
- nitrogen 13y agoCDMs will most likely communicate with closed-source hardware that implements the decryption (e.g. Blu-ray's AACS requires video card support for AES and HDCP).
- makomk 13y agoYou might even not be able to use it elsewhere. For example, the current ChromeOS CDM apparently only runs on approved hardware that's locked down from the hardware up to prevent you running any unauthorized code - if you enable developer mode it disables playback, possibly even at the hardware level.