Dylan Tweney: Broken trust. The problem is that Palladium requires users to place a huge amount of trust in Microsoft. You don't get to decide what runs on your computer -- Microsoft does. You can't even open files unless you've been authorized by Microsoft, or by a third party. [Tomalak's Realm]

» Definitely a case where the cure is worse than the disease.

• Spam : there is some evidence to suggest that P2P filtering will effectively reduce the spam problem down to manageable levels.  Developments in this direction can start providing benefits now and without costing investment in hardware & OS.
• Virii : I run Norton Anti-virus in the background.  I use auto-update to keep NAV current.  So far, I've not had a problem.  I don't open attachments unless they are scanned.  I trust that virus defence systems will continue to advance and provide greater and more seamless protection.

Palladium's safety mechanism sounds a lot like "pull the plug out of the wall."   You'll be protected, because there will be no software to run on your shiny new computer except that from the Pravda like M$crosoft and it's allies.

Remember the pedigree of who we're dealing with here.  If you're an ISV will you be happy to pay Microsoft to have your software certified for Palladium?  Each time you release?  Even for a patch?  And what if your playing on Microsoft's turf or turf they have their beady eyes on, Think your customers might have just the odd extra problem that doesn't happen with Microsoft's possibly inferior entry?  Want to take that risk?  Remember who we're dealing with.

It's only Microsoft's monopoly on the desktop and Intel & AMD's lock on the CPU market that allows this kind of applied stupidity.  In a healthy market for chips & OS's there would be too many options for one vendor to create a lock-in like this.  Of course, trust Microsoft to manage to spin this carbuncle in a way that could appeal to people.

Remember the original MSN?  Customers flocked to Microsofts new and improved internet in their... dozens.  That's because they had a choice and the internet didn't suck ass.  Between now and LongHorn we need Linux to establish itself on the desktop to provide some kind of realistic alternative.  We need to be able to let  M$crosoft and Disney go their way, hand-in-hand, whilst we go ours.

We need a choice.