Of all the FUD that's out there about Vista, the false information about Vista's DRM is the FUD that frustrates me the most. I read this article from Peter Gutmann, and was infuriated. I wanted to write a point-by-point rebuttal, but was overwhelmed with the sheer number of glaring inaccuracies, as well as the overwhelming feeling that I was in danger of being hit in the head by a piece of falling sky. It wasn't so much of a research paper as it was a ridiculous story full of melodramatic hyperbole.
Well, I'm glad someone finally called it out for what it was. George Ou, an IT blogger on ZDNet, blasts security guru Bruce Schneier for quoting Peter Gutmann in his anti-Vista tirade. He even sheds new light on Mr. Gutmann:
[Update 4:25 PM - The researcher who Bruce Schneier cites who in turn is widely cited in the media as an expert on why Vista DRM is so evil actually admits to never actually even touching Windows Vista. That's the level of "research" he did.]
I guess that's how research is done at the University of Auckland.
I had two or three people come up to me during my launch day stint at Best Buy and ask me if Vista added DRM to unprotected content. I had to have one individual break out a personal DVD of unprotected MP3s, and play them on the demo computer, before he was convinced that Microsoft wasn't having a threesome with the record companies and the Feds.
FOR THE RECORD: "Vista DRM simply gives you the choice of playing back DRMed content and it does not prevent you from playing back non-DRMed content." It also doesn't add DRM to your unprotected content. PERIOD.
Thanks George. Very well put.