this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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[ifixit] We Are Retroactively Dropping the iPhone’s Repairability Score::We need to have a serious chat about iPhone repairability. We judged the phones of yesteryear by how easy they were to take apart—screws, glues, how hard it was…

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[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub -4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So what’s the new solution in place of DRM to make sure that the things you make aren’t ripped off by China or any other rich competitor?

What’s to stop the big players that are already seated in their thrones from abusing and stealing shit from the peasants?

[–] DauntingFlamingo@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How does forcing a company like Apple or John Deere to allow their customers to repair their own products lead you to think China isn't already ripping off every bit of tech they come across?

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub -3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Listen, I’m pro right to repair, but I’m against solutions that cause more problems for the average Joe.

I also did not say what you’re claiming, that’s your interpretation. Of course China commits mass IP theft left and right, but do you think it would be easier or harder for them to do it with DRM removed?

That’s my point. We cannot afford to make hasty solutions, there is plenty already at stake for regular ass people in this world run by the rich and powerful.

[–] Tekchip@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Your mistake here is in assuming removing DRM isn't trivial. As someone who's pirated games for literal decades I have enjoyed many a DRMed game on launch day. DRM is security theater just like the chumps at the airport who routinely are found to be missing 99% of contraband.

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is really interesting to me, how easy is it to remove drm? How reliable? Just lookin for some convo, not arguing as I don’t really know much about cracking games, movies etc

[–] PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Generally DRM removal tools are written by hackers dedicated to hacking DRM or pirating software. So for people who specialize in that field, they are very good at it and can defeat basically any DRM system.

For an end user, that means all you need to do is to download the specific tools for your use application, run it and presto the DRM has been removed.

An analogy would be you buy a product that is locked inside a box. You can learn how to pick locks yourself, or you can take it to a locksmith and have them remove it for you, which is trivial because that's all they do.

If you are expecting a bunch of Lemmy users to explain to you in ELI5 terms the technical underpinnings of how a lock works and how to defeat one, well lol that ain't going to happen.

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Yes I am aware that hackers are the ones who crack and make tools and then sell to users.

Thanks anyway, shouldn’t be that hard to explain if it’s trivial to do

Should also know pretty easily how reliable the technique is if it’s done so often, I’d let the original person I was talking to reply instead of interjecting your smart ass response.

[–] DauntingFlamingo@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is the Internet. You can't say ass here!!!1

[–] DauntingFlamingo@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So what’s the new solution in place of DRM to make sure that the things you make aren’t ripped off by China or any other rich competitor?

This you?

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes those are my words but the interpretation was wrong.

Of course China has high IP theft rates, everybody knows that. Look at how hard they keep pushing this god damn shopping app I keep seeing.

My point (that you’ve probably read over and over and willfully chose to ignore at this point so you could make a pedantic argument) was that removing DRM would only make it easier for them.

However one person brought up removing DRM was super trivial - still waiting to hear back on those details to confirm if that was “just talk” or not.

If it’s already trivial to remove, then yeah getting rid of DRM wouldn’t make things easier for them, and thus we wouldn’t be making things worse.

…which brings us back to the quoted material - what solutions in place of DRM, that would be more protective and less trivial to remove thus making things HARDER to be stolen from.

People forget what stage of the game we’re in. The rich are now ULTRA rich. You can’t stuff that cat back in the bag less you literally tank the economy. You have to protect the little seedling people and chain the rich up (so to speak of course) to slow down their endless growth.

We have a runaway reaction going on in my opinion and we all know what happens to “closed systems” and their entropy levels (metaphor, yes that has to do with physics specifically, but I find the parallels to be interesting)

[–] duckmilk@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

DRM does not prevent them stealing the technology they are only there to maximize profit. Everything is basically manufactured in China so the know-how is already overseas. Copyright laws already exist to prevent complete rip-offs.

If a shock absorber of my car breaks I have the freedom to choose the quality/type of the spare part (Genuine/OEM/used or aftermarket supplier) and who performs the repair (Dealer/local repair shop or myself). That's healthy competition and it should be the same for electronics.

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub -2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Agreed but again, I ask my question.

Do you think the removal of DRM would make things easier or harder for China.

That is my point. If you can’t answer the question that’s fine but I don’t wish to discuss side topics or metaphors. Making things easier for thieves is bad mkay.

[–] turmacar@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

This is like asking if using left handed threaded screws would make it easier or harder for China. They're already the ones manufacturing all the components and the device itself. Removing/adding a step in the process doesn't change anything.

DRM hampers legitimate customers / repair without actually doing anything against piracy.

[–] stevedidwhat_infosec@infosec.pub -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You’re making sweeping generalizations

[–] stalfoss@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Asks a sweeping general question

Gets a sweeping general answer

pikachu shocked face

I asked if it would be easier or harder for China to steal content with DRM removed from the beginning.

That’s a pretty specific question but alright.

Somehow a yes or no answer is acceptably answered with “they already do that all the time” which completely avoids the original question which was, again, if it would be easier to do so or not.