this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
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“The big exceptions are video game consoles and alarm systems.”
Why specifically exclude game consoles?
Because they lobbied hardest.
Not saying this is a good excuse, but I suspect it's related to DRM / cheating.
Video game consoles exist for the sole purpose of playing protected content, and they rely on part on verifying things haven't been tampered with to discourage creating.
That’s the slipperiest slope ever. All modern computing is full of DRM. I watch Netflix on my Mac and game on my desktop, should I have no rights?
Again not saying it's a good excuse. You're right that modern computing is full of DRM, but unlike a computer, an Xbox is literally just a DRM box. They rely on their hardware DRM to prevent piracy.
Not sure if it's still the case but back in the day, people would install aftermarket disc readers in early 360s specifically to allow it to play unprotected game discs, so anyone with a DVD burner could burn a pirated ISO onto a disc for their Xbox
That's a very weak argument. I get where you're going with it. All moderns computers / devices are DRM first.
The PS4 and Xbox One and later are quite literally x86_64 architecture. They run either Windows NT kernel or Unix Kernel. Albeit custom OS variants that are functionally labelled "forks" for all intents and purposes. Games can be be ported between them and PC with ease due to this nature. They play movies and music whether it be streamed from an app, a DVD/CD, on a USB device or internal drive. They can browse the web using a web browser that's part of the OS.
Traditional computers have had hardware based DRM for decades. There's nothing really special about consoles having it too.
Consoles take the same approach as Apple has with iOS. They don't want you doing anything with it that they haven't approved. A walled garden to exert control.
Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo just lobbied really hard and padded pockets to get their exclusion.
So, the iPhone has literally the same approach of OS which the EU seem to dislike. On the other hand, Nintendo is allowed to have nonrepairable batteries even if they repeatedly show that they give a duck about eWaste, by first killing all eShop for 3ds and issued an update later to make sure the 3ds bricks on try installing software from other sources (well they tried, but NintendoHacker are smart). So a Company which is way worse than apple regarding repairability (my opinion) should be allowed to stick the batteries in to the case with the strongest glue they find while apple is not? Seems not fair to me.. I’m all for forced replaceable batteries, but I find it way worse, if devices get killed by update/lack of server support and don’t offer the owner root access to the now worthless tech. EU should force giving root rights to user at end of life of any device.
Consoles have never been good at handling protected content. I'm pretty sure they have higher piracy rates than PC, purely because PC will emulate them.
Pretty sure the main reason has always been form factor and self-contained. People get consoles because they don't want the setup that a PC entails. That and up until around 10 years ago maybe, PCs were prohibitively more expensive than consoles.
But hell, even back in the 90s my first experience with Pokemon was on no$GB
Why alarm systems???
I'm guessing because then states would need to heavily modify code laws on things like fire alarm requirements. Those regulations are for anyone who might have to walk into your house.
There aren't regulations on security systems to my knowledge. Fire alarms work independent but they can optionally operate with a security system. Security systems are consumer devices, you can buy them yourself anywhere without any licensing or regulation.
Legal and liability nightmare I'd guess. Imagine someone dies in a house fire so they sue the repair shop, or insurance refuses to pay because you modified your alarm.
Nobody talking about fire alarms still
For the same reason you need a licence in most places to install fire and security systems. If you make a mistake, people can die.
Who said fire?
The proposed legislation:
https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB244/id/2832427
That makes sense then. When you search alarm system anywhere else you will get results for security systems which these days are simple consumer devices that lock customers into sketchy proprietary "ecosystems" that require subscription services that prevent users from operating and repairing by themselves.
I would assume because at that point you have a PC.
The government telling us to buy a PC