Infopirate.org

In a controversial technical analysis PeterGutmann goes into fantastic detail about the recently released Vistaoperating system and its content protection scheme. One thing became clear tome after reading this analysis. Vista is being marketed to content producers,not consumers. If Windows XP was Microsoft’s attempt to embed a browser intothe operating system then Vista is the attempt to embed DRM. Digital RightsManagement technology has been applied to literally every ring of the OSarchitecture.

Vista's target market is content producers and the underlying philosophy of theuser experience will be far different then what many consumers expect it willbe. Microsoft has attempted to plug the infamous “analog hole” asmuch as is possible by forcing all data through encryption algorithms. Forthose unaware of the “costs” of encryption it is sufficiently high.Pushing HD audio and video content through encryption/decryption routines is atremendous strain on any system currently available and in the near future.Even with the application of Moore's Law a conservative estimate could placeaffordable and usable systems within this new content system 5 years away. Itwill be interesting to see how these restrictions will be spun by the largemarketing and PR teams since none of these innovations will benefit consumersin any way. The job that has been handed to these PR and marketing teams is todress up a product designed with every restriction a producer has asked for andmake a consumer want to buy it. One of the most quotable lines from the Gutmannanalysis sums this up perfectly as, “breaking the legs of Olympicathletes and then rating them based on how fast they can hobble oncrutches.”