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Comment by achy | Hacker News Reader

Honest question: What is the benefit of running a native application inside a browser window instead of standalone?

Google captures greater profits and influence by flogging people its DRM-infested ChromeOS machines for cheap, claiming they are hyper secure.

On the face of it, that may be right, but privacy and independence are lost. Victim buyers discover they can't do anything without either paying more money or being online (ie. under surveillance from the GooglePlex).

Could you please elaborate about DRM in ChromeOS?

To support Netflix and similar Google plans to implement DRM on these platforms. They have expanded their offices in LA over the last few years. They seem to be using not only conventional DRM as a layer of protection, but also a trusted platform module (TPM) protected boot sequence that validates that the environment has not been tampered with prior to executing the DRM-related code. I believe they are also using operating system level containers via LXC, as a more powerful and language-neutral extension of the Java-centric model on their other mobile platform, Android. Finally, the devices do not have any significant local storage, which means you couldn't really pirate content even if you decrypted it: there's nowhere to put it!

http://dev.chromium.org/chromium-os/chromeos-graphics-readin...

Errr, your link points to documentation about DRM in the linux kernel, which isn't the same DRM you are talking about.

What all the docs in that link are talking about is the Direct Rendering Manager.

Every single ChromeOS machine also has a developer switch, which will let you put whatever you want on the machine.

Oh OK, I didn't actually read those I was just posting the likely link that popped up on a search. Feel free to do your own research then.

'Developer mode' that disables consumption of things you have paid for on a machine that has virtually no storage? Sounds great. Why do you seem to support them?

I did my own research, and i don't see the issue?

Yes, developer mode erases the machine for security reasons.

I don't see to support them, I do support them on this (I actually am not a fan of chromeos in general), because it is still a huge step forward over almost all available newer "locked" machines available.

Your solution is what exactly?

It seems they've done the best pragmatic thing they can do here. It enables DRM and content for those who want it. Those who don't, can still do what they want with the machine. If you want to have your cake and eat it to, yell at netflix/et al. It's not like Google has an real leverage here. They've tried for years to get anywhere with other strategies.

Oh, for security reasons! Whose security? Let's be honest here: the content owners. It's classic DRM: you buy the device and it works for someone else. My solution is to strive to avoid buying, supporting or discussing DRM-crippled devices except to reveal their true nature to the wider community. "Don't be evil!". Puh-lease. Anyone know what Google spends on PR? I'm sure it's either hidden or shocking.

He's referring to the HTML5 DRM, which Google, Microsoft and Netflix are supporting (I think Apple, too).

I get the feeling that a lot of these apps are aimed at Chrome OS.

You don't have to cycle between 2 application platforms: the host OS and your browser. If you already use a lot of web apps this is a real frustration. You essentially are running 2 OSes with separate conventions and context switching between those is not pleasant. This is why things like Fluid exist.

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