alt Hacker NewsI like the idea of all computing devices being legally-required to have a button that wipes the device and unlocks the bootloader and everything. That way, 1) company secrets are kept safe, but you can still commandeer the hardware you own when you wish, and 2) access to forensic data on stolen devices is still restricted.
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Company secrets shouldn't get any protection at all, maybe other than suing the employee who leaked them for damages. The laws we have today give you the same protection as patents but cheaper, indefinite and without having to disclose anything. That breaks the original tradeoff patents were designed for - legal protection in exchange for making your inventions public.
Your code becoming open source after 10 years should be treated as the cost of doing business, same as a copyright or patent expiring.
Considering that many consoles are initially sold at a loss, but then can begin to make a profit as the hardware becomes outdated (among other things [1])...
What about making it a requirement after some time. What about, after the warranty runs out. And hey, that could also incentivize longer warranties!
> [1] "Typically, when a new games console launches its price point is below the actual cost of manufacturing. But over time, through a combination of bulk component orders and the refining of the hardware design, the cost falls below the retail price. The PS3 was sold at a loss for nearly four years, the PS4 was profitable within six months of its launch, and the PS5 has taken eight months. Considering the novel new design and global chip shortages, that's quite impressive." https://uk.pcmag.com/gaming-systems/134885/sony-says-499-ps5...