Mozilla breaks our hearts, adds DRM to Firefox

boing
42

But they already DO that.

If you don’t have Flash , running on a windows computer, or widevine or silverlight or etc etc etc, you can’t watch these things.

Only now , if you want to use these things, you have to use a VERY horrid plugin architecture that is highly insecure and has been complained about for years.

These people ALREADY use DRM. If you watch Netflix in Mozilla, you’re ALREADY USING DRM. Now, though, the DRM won’t be in a horrid architecture, but instead in a sandbox that the browser controls.

Yes, I wish there was no DRM, but to pretend like this is an awful horrible move by Mozilla and that sites will stop working if you remove the DRM Sandbox is silly. These sites NEVER worked without DRM ANYWAY. What’re they going to do if we remove/block out their sandbox? Call us names?

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43

What does that have to do with anything I said? All I said is that once all major browsers support DRM out of the box, content providers will use it whenever they feel like it. You can play along or not, but they won’t care.

44

Kinda amused at the idea that you can fight DRM simply by not including it in the browser, without realisation that it’s the exact same tactic that copyright monopolists use: let’s ban DRM circumvention tools and piracy will disappear. Neither ultimately works. DRM must be defeated on it’s (lack of) merit, not through banning or legislation.

As long as companies fell it’s in their interest to have DRM, it will be there. The same as the piracy will always be there as long as people fell shafted by the content owners.

And now I’m off to watch The Daily Show, torrented because CC won’t let me watch their DRMed stream legally as I’m on the wrong part of the planet.

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45

So?

I can compile firefox without the sandbox. And if a site refuses to let me use it, so what?

Also:

All major browsers DO support plugin-able DRM out of the box.

This would be a safer version of plugin-able DRM , running inside a sandbox.

Before, Mozilla Firefox allowed this through an oft-bitched about highly insecure system that had access to anything the firefox-bin had access to.

Now, it has access through a tightly regulated sandboxed container that is chroot’d away from your normal data and computing processes.

Again, I’d rather DRM didn’t exist, but this is REALLY NOTHING NEW. It’s just a tightening down of what these plugins can do to your system.

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46

So Firefox isn’t the smallest, fastest, prettiest or even the free-est now. Sounds like it’s already booked itself on a one way trip to visit Netscape.

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47

Galleon? Links? Chromium? W3M? Those are off the top of my head.

48

Chromium also offers a similar sandbox environment for CDM plugins.

This really isn’t as bad as people think / act like it is.

Much of this technology has been in chrome and chromium for years now.

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49

How will this affect the people already sensibly taking the content for free? Oh, it wont? Perfect.

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50

Hmm, never heard of that.

51

Not at all. If you don’t want DRM in your firefox, don’t download DRM.

If you believe Cory’s definition and that plugin-architectures are DRM simply because plugins can BE DRM, then wait a bit and someone will make a NON-DRM release.

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52

Your original post came off as combative and hostile. Don’t blame the hornet when you poked the hive. Especially not when you just heard the FA buzzing angrily.

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53

A bit hostile

So was your post. Perhaps leaning a bit more towards purposefully obtuse and a bit hostile.

As a boing reader and contributor for many years now…I think I’m done here.

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54

When you get pwned by a security hole, I’ll laugh. You realize that there are security issues fixed every release and by removing yourself from the update cycle, you’re leaving those issues unfixed?

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55

On the plus side, this may only be temporary?

From the FAQ:

Isn’t DRM counter to the open Web principles Mozilla stands for?

DRM requires closed systems to operate as currently required and is designed to remove user control, so Mozilla is taking steps to find alternative solutions to DRM. But Mozilla also believes that until an alternative system is in place, Firefox users should be able to choose whether to interact with DRM in order to watch streaming videos in the browser.

And another plus side, apparently it’s optional:

What impact will this have on Firefox users?

It will be easier for Firefox users to play DRM-enabled videos because they will not have to download Flash or Silverlight first. Firefox users will be able to choose whether to activate the new DRM system before it is accessed.

Still sucks, but there’s hope this is just a temporary thing.

@albill, do you know if this is just going to be a temp deal?

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56

When you get pwned by a security hole, I’ll laugh.

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57

Did you read any of the things Mozilla actually posted on this?

Here, let me help you:

https://hacks.mozilla.org/2014/05/reconciling-mozillas-mission-and-w3c-eme/ - by the Mozilla CTO

https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2014/05/14/drm-and-the-challenge-of-serving-users/ - by the head of the Mozilla Foundation

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59

No, Cory, the Mozilla Corporation is a company. It is wholly owned by the non-profit Foundation.

60

That was just that thread. Section 34A of Code 24 of boingboing law says every new thread is a fresh start.

Now, if you want to hold a drunken grudge and not answer the question that’s up to you.

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61

I hadn’t even seen the question yet before the notifier notified me of your monkey reply.

62

As to whether this is a temporary deal, I literally have no knowledge. There were lots of discussions about it, including a brownbag today to air questions but I was in my commute during that and haven’t seen a transcript or video.

I’m not under the impression that this is temporary as it has been mulled over (and over and over) for quite some time. This is a rock and hard place decision process guaranteed to alienate someone either way (see @doctorow’s feelings of betrayal by Mozilla). I sympathize but I also know that as the only people not supporting any structure for the content people want to watch/listen to, we weren’t going to be able to move the needle either.

My domain knowledge is strictly on how we respond to security issues and related Internet efforts to make us all more secure. This whole thing is the devil’s choice.

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