4 ms·
Where I work now, I'm basically paid to break into this stuff for a living. Its nothing but a mountain of 10-20 year old "protected" protocols. All of which are
by noonespecial 12y ago
Where I work now, I'm basically paid to break into this stuff for a living. Its nothing but a mountain of 10-20 year old "protected" protocols. All of which are now unsupported, obsolete, or completely forgotten by long out of business companies.
If the farmers think its bad now, just wait a few years. DRM hurts everyone. Its like toxic waste. A huge externalized cost that lets a company eke out a small short term extra profit at the expense of society at large. We need "clean air act" level legislation to fix it. We've actively done the opposite.
- jonathantm 12y ago> "DRM... [is] like toxic waste." Yes! The depleted plutonium of technical debt.
- dredmorbius 12y agoITYM depleted uranium, used in armor-piercing rounds for its very high density. While "depleted plutonium" is a thing, it's not generally used in any way that I'm aware: http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae576.cfm http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae576.cfm
- joshmlewis 12y agoI'd love to buy you a beer and learn a few things if you're in the Bay Area. My email is hi [at] josh.ml.
- mey 12y agoWhat's the economic model? Supporting systems no one else will with clients that can't migrate to some other system?
- LeonM 12y agoI used to work for a company that made "copies" of PCB's from industrial machines. Most industrial equipment costs hundreds of thousands euros, most of them have a lifespan of >10 years, but the manufacturer usually stops supporting them, or goes out of business before the machines do. Many of these machines suffer from failing electronics, and repairing or even completely re-engineering the electronics is usually cheaper than installing a complete new machine. Problem is, like noonespecial already wrote: 90% of the equipment has 'DRM'. Or it has no documentation or the manufacturer simply refuses to give details about it's inner workings due to "intellectual property". (note: that's the same manufacturer that refuses to repair their customer's failed $500k machine) edit: minor typo
- noonespecial 12y agoThe model is simple. Tons (quite literally) of steel have been rendered useless by ounces of failed silicon. The OEM's are unable or unwilling to provide replacements insisting that all that steel must be torn out and replaced in order to get the "updated" program for which they demand 100's of $k's or even millions plus "integration costs" etc. Usually a $300 off the shelf PLC and a little patience will have them back up in no time. Sometimes it gets really hairy and I have to make little protocol converters with a custom PCB and a little code on a micro. Its almost all from the 80's and 90's. Its not rocket science by any stretch. Its more like plumbing (except in this case, the builder is telling you that when the sink clogs, you need a new house because they don't make that faucet anymore). I mostly do fixed assets (old production plants and such) but it works for tractors, boats, earthmovers, and other vehicles as well.
- raverbashing 12y agoAt the same time, the cost of breaking them decreases with time. See how any DRM of old software is more easily breakable today than at that time. (Still is a pain, though)
- fanquake 12y agoI'm working for a precision ag company that has done work reverse engineering hydraulic systems, as well as building variable rate tech. I'd be keen to have a chat, if your interested in discussing your experiences. fanquake @ google mail