The industry has expanded the usage of DRM to various hardware products, such as Keurig’s coffeemakers,[9][10] Philips’ light bulbs,[11][12] mobile device power chargers,[13][14][15] and John Deere’s tractors.[16] For instance, tractor companies try to prevent farmers from making repairs under via DRM.[17]
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This whole internet of things craze is nonsense. I don’t need my fucking microwave connected to the internet. Capital is out of good ideas.
it’s getting harder and harder to just buy dumb appliances
You might be missing some links there
More importantly: Internet-connected light bulbs are the dumbest thing I have heard of in at least a few hours
this ‘make evything smart’ trend is the new ‘make eveything blockchain’
It’s been around for a while (“smart” refrigerators/microwaves/…), but DRM in light bulbs is another level of ridiculous
soon you’ll have to listen to a 30 second ad before the lights turn on
What’s worse is that these things have a full Computer inside them with some custom distribution of Linux on it. And usually it’s some really outdated software, (even the Kernel they use is most of the time 10+ years old) which means IoT devices are a perfect target for hackers to exploit.
And of course the custom software on them is some quickly thrown together hack-job that works just enough to convince investors. After all; Time is money!
Also let’s not forget that if the company closes down all IoT devices they made become paper weights.
Such progress! /rant
The continuous glucose monitor I have for keeping track of my blood sugar levels (Type 2 diabetic) has DRM too. The communication between the sensor that’s on my arm and my phone is encrypted, meaning I can only read my blood sugar levels by using Abbott’s official Freestyle Libre 2 app on Android, which requires you to grant them permission to use your data however they see fit.
Awful what companies can decide to do to chronically ill and disabled people. It should be illegal.
that’s awful
DRM should be made illegal
the govs won’t do that. it’s up to you to mobilize lemmings/others into doing something about it
Reading the comments I wanted to point out why this isn’t just an IoT/stupid modern life/inconvenience issue when it comes to tractors.
Most farmers live on very thin margins. Making those margins requires good timing for things like planting and harvest and everyone in your area will be trying to do the same thing as you at about the same time. Getting your tractor throwing an error code or whatever that stops work becomes a year ruining, bankruptcy inducing problem if you can’t get it fixed quickly. Pretending that there is a good, qualified repair technician in your area you might be days down the list for when they can get to you. This pushes the timeline of your essential task and eats away at your ability to make any living just through delay.
This is why people pushing right to repair use tractors as a selling point. They are absolutely essential to the farming they are used for and in the US there is a strong mythos that has been built around farmers that lets the issue resonate.
I totally agree about all of the other DRM uses being bad, but using the perception of taking away the independent, practical, hardworking farmer’s ability to do work on their own however it needs to get done hits many people’s guts a lot harder than IoT crap not maintaining its usability.
Tldr, if you want to sway people on DRM stick to examples that feel impactful to them.