Apple crippling OS X debugging tool to protect iTunes DRM?

Wow, it looks like the cat-and-mouse game of DRM exploits is starting to inflict some collateral damage -- the DTrace debugging tool built into Leopard is apparently locked out of iTunes and any other app that opts-out. Reasons aren't clear, but it sure looks like Apple is trying to keep interested parties from seeing the inner workings of FairPlay and other DRM-enabled apps -- which probably makes the RIAA happy, but makes it harder for devs to get work done. In the words of one DTrace developer, the lockout is "antithetical to the notion of systemic tracing, antithetical to the goals of DTrace, and antithetical to the spirit of open source." That's pretty harsh -- but given Apple's new love for selective feature enabling, we're not expecting a resolution anytime soon.

[Via BoingBoing]

[Chad @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:46PM]

According to this site it already has a solution. Credit to Evets over at /. for the link.

[Chad @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:48PM]

Missing Links ;-)

http://landonf.bikemonkey.org/code/macosx/Leopard_PT_DENY_ATTACH.20080122.html
http://slashdot.org/~Evets

[Andy Smith @ Jan 24th 2008 7:59AM]

iTunes plus music is drm free. If your purchased iTunes music is drm-protected, just convert it to unprotected MP3 legally at http://www.convertitunestomp3.org/
Works nice for me.

[DonatoM3 @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:48PM]

(Sarcasm on) But OSX and Apple are perfect why do you need a debug tool anyway? (Sarcasm off)

[peshue @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:51PM]

Well Apple has never really been very interested in the spirit of open source.

[Kizorblade @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:04PM]

You sure? Do you have a link to anywhere that proves that?

[John @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:12PM]

@Kizorblade,

Do you have a link to anywhere that proves otherwise?

[Liam @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:30PM]

They've been happy to take the stability of open-source UNIX as the base, but yeah, everything above that is very very closed.

Anyway, hasn't fairplay been compromised by DVD Jon already?

[thethirdmoose @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:32PM]

The fact that apple itself hosts open source programs?
The fact that Xcode is included with Mac OS X?
The fact that Mac OS X is built on an open source platform?
Needless to say, I'm not comparing apple with windows, but rather with Microsoft.

[bob @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:34PM]

this doesnt have anything to do with open source. its apple filly their end of a contract, a contract that led to all of us being able to download music legally.

[Adam @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:11PM]

@ John,

You mean something like, oh I don't know, www.apple.com/opensource

[riobard @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:13PM]

yeah, right!
stealing from opensource projects and then say "we made it for the first time!!!"

[Gnaget @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:17PM]

Hey you two, you are both arguing different points. Apple themselves (as far I know) do not have any open source projects. They help the open source community by hosting open source programs, but that is, in all fairness, a necessity since so little software is compatible.

[Gnaget @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:19PM]

heh, I guess when I said you two, I meant you all ;-)

[SIC TR4NSIT @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:55PM]

Not trying to be flame bait or start fanboy wars, so please, lets actually keep it civil. Can we ease up on the apple related posts.. Theres already a macworld link at the top... Its bad enough that the posts have a slant in favor of Apple, but you don't cover any company as much as you do Apple. They post a $1.5B profit, and you ignore MS's nearly $6B profit. You even felt the need to let us know that John Mayer now has a Macbook Air. Zune releases an update and you say "wish you never needed" but say that Apple found room for improvement on OSX. I really like this site, but all the pro-Apple anti-everyone else stuff makes me want to find another tech blog.

[Daniel @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:01PM]

Apple is hot now. Microsoft isn't doing much. And that's two of the big three in the PC world. Would you really post in a Windows-related blog to "ease off Microsoft"? I'm by no means a fanboy of anything except Dells. Lol.

[Bart @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:14PM]

Maybe it's because MS isn't really offering any products or ideas that warrant excitment over? I mean your comparsion of 6B to 1.5B is basically the same as comparing 500 sheets of single-ply toliet paper to 300 sheets of Charmin. What's so intersting about single-ply again?

[Eric @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:17PM]

@Bart:
Uhmm... a dollar is a dollar is a dollar.

[fred @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:22PM]

SIC TR4NSIT makes a good point.

Is Engadget about reporting on tech news or are they about pushing one companies products because that is the "hip" thing to do?

If you were to just go on sheer number of stories and bias, you would think that Apple is the only company that is doing anything. Of course that is far from the truth. I cant see why this site cant put more effort into stories that shows some variety instead of being hot on the trail of the latest iPod novelty dock or posting some story with some vague connection to Apple only because they have a vague connection, or going on some tirade because some device has a passing resemblance to some Apple device.

Their CES coverage should have served as a template for how this site can be when they are really being serious.

[Josh @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:22PM]

If you can find a worthy competitor to Engadget, please let us know. Fact is that they are the best. Period. Ryan and crew are amazing and can somehow be professional (for the most part) while still maintaining a blog atmosphere. Go visit Gizmodo and talk to me about favoritism. Then try to say they are professional. Or, hell, over the age of 12 after CES.

Yeah, thought so.

[Bart @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:48PM]

@Eric - and a coffee cup is a coffee cup

??

[fred @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:31PM]

Here are some titles and summaries from articles about Microsoft gleaned from a simple search:

"Microsoft Fires Opening Shots in Virtualization Battle"

"Microsoft is offering a free copy of action shooter Undertow to Xbox Live subscribers to compensate for network issues over the festive period. ..."

"Microsoft unveiled in Berlin Tuesday a product package aimed at local and regional e-government initiatives, in the midst of growing government opposition ..."

"Me.dium Selected to Join Microsoft Startup Accelerator Program"

"Microsoft is working to boost the appeal of Windows Mobile among consumers by appointing a new head of marketing and by lending support to a new application ..."

"Microsoft commits $235 mln to put PCs in schools"

"Microsoft Confirms IE8 Has 3 Render Modes"

"Microsoft Korea Joins Daum in IPTV Business"

"Microsoft changes heart, gives market choice with openXML"

"Microsoft picks up 35% stake in Oxigen"

Are some of these stories snoozers? Maybe. But to say that there is no news from MS to the point where something like a cheap plastic speaker for the Shuffle is more interesting is just not accurate.

[Brian McBride @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:48PM]

I agree with SIC TR4NSIT. There are far more stories involving Apple products that seem like celebrity trash gossip than news. Sometimes I expect reports on when Jobs uses the toilet and how many grams he left behind.

That said, this is actually interesting news to an extent. For me, it is just another way that Apple is slowly screwing with it's customer base while the users defend their big brother corporation.

These days, Apple seriously creeps me out.

[John @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:00PM]

There could always be a post involving the words "Apple", "Stock", and "Free Fall"

[Nilay Patel @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:14PM]

Microsoft posts results tomorrow, hometicket. We'll be on top of it when they do, just like always.

[IndiaTech @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:19PM]

SIC TR4NSIT's letter to CNN
"Dear Editor. I am really sick of you always reporting about the 2008 Presidential Elections. Can you please tone it down a little bit. There are other news you know. Like Dr. Phil visiting Ms. Spears or Paris Hilton not liking her cocktail. I hope you understand."

Last time I checked Engadget is a free service. I don't remember Ryan charging $2.99 per month. This is Ryan's blog. If he wants to post naked pictures of Steve Jobs he can.

If you feel that that these guys are being biased then please feel free to start your own blog.
There are 5 different Pentax post on the front page. Does it show Engadget's bias towards Pentax?

And as for bias free media. Can you tell me a single newspaper or a TV station which is NOT biased? NBC / Fox / ABC / LA Times / SF Cronicle?

If you cannot find an alternative to Engadget doesn't mean that Engadget has to change for you.

[Sukhminder @ Jan 24th 2008 4:03AM]

SIC TR4NSIT, exactly!

[SIC TR4NSIT @ Jan 24th 2008 4:05AM]

IndiaTech>> I think your comparison of the 2008 Presidential Elections to Apple exposes your bias. And your right, I don't pay for this site; However, Engadget does make money based on traffic. Now, I don't believe something like this would bring an end a blog this good, but I am sure that they don't want their readers to be unhappy. The audience dictates the content in that if we are sick of something, it would be in Engadgets best interest to remedy the dissent of its readers. I believe that if you had read my post without bias, you would understand that I am simply opening a discussion of my opinion. There were a few who disagreed, many who agreed and no doubt a vast number of people who either didn't read it or felt it didn't warrant a reply. You are entitled to your opinion, as is everyone, but if my customers told me they were starting to get sick of certain aspects of how I conducted my business, I surely would welcome any constructive criticisms with open ears and I'm certain that the staff at Engadget would feel the same. Free or not, it is a business and Engadget cares about its readers and that is why I felt motivated to share my views.

[macona @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:56PM]

Selective Feature Enabling??? The ipod never came with the software so buying the software is not enabling a feature. Thats like saying you buying photoshop for your mac is "enabling" a feature.

[Bart @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:03PM]

Ummm...Who cares? 4 developers in the world bitch they can't see an itunes dTrace and now it's a grand conspiracy to hide DRM.

THANK YOU APPLE for keeping every dipshit with dtrace the opportunity to hack itunes DRM. And if some Opensouce ass wipe whines, take away thier apple store discount and send them a free Red Hat dvd.

[zargon @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:06PM]

Since has when has Apple really given two shits about open source other than using its codebase?

After all they went with products under the BSD licensing...

[Bart @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:22PM]

Just curious, how much have you contributed to Opensourse code? It seems that most people who get all "worked up" over some companies support of OS never wrote 2 lines of code for it. Get over it dude.

Every REAL person that is contributing to OS is getting "something" back from it. Education/Research, Experiance, Enjoyment, and in some cases money.

Quit trying to ride on someone elses coat tails to make yourself look smart.

[Daniel @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:27PM]

Bart, while I agree with you, you made a point that's almost open to a smackdown. You made a pretty big assumption on two lines of text.

[jakem @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:30PM]

That's not the point. The post refers to a developer who said that this was antithetical to the spirit of OSS. That's what zargon is referring to and you should know better than to be so unnecessarily rude.

[Ian @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:31PM]

What does Zargon's open source work (or lack there of) have to do with ANYTHING? Seriously?

You act as if Apple is an open source house. They are not and never have been. They are just as closed as MS.

You're building a wonderful track recording attacking posters rather than their posts. This is called an ad-hominem attack. It's used by those who cannot actually refute the points made by those with whom they disagree. It also makes you look like an AOL net newb circa 1994.

[zargon @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:44PM]

@Bart

Well, since I am not a developer, I have not contributed any code. I use do use linux and open source software almost exclusively at home. But I have reported bugs, so as far as I (and others) am concerned, I am contributing.

However, there are some differences between myself and Apple. For one, I use the OS, I do not use the codebase to create my own products. Secondly, I am not a multi billion dollar company that about half of its business is software and who has a very large team of developers.

Your attempt at trying to make a point is null and void. On top of that, getting education/research, experience and enjoyment, no matter how you try to spin it, is in fact, not giving back to the open source community. There is a very good reason why Apple chose codebase under the BSD licensing, you should try looking it up, but I will give you a head start. You can use it, modify it, repackage and then sell it claiming it as your own and not owe anyone or anything.

What people like you just can't seem to grasp about open source is the model that is driving it. It is about a community working on it to make it the best it can, which means leaving the source code open and making any enhancements available to the public to enhance it further or enhance other software. It has a snowball effect, allowing for rapid growth of software as a whole.

Companies like Apple, that hide behind the BSD license are not helping the cause and rarely give back to the very community that provided them with the codebase that helped them get where they are.

I just think it sucks, I think open source is a good concept and overall, has had great execution. My support of it is not to make myself look smart and if by just using open source software, I am riding on coat tails, so be it.

Maybe you should heed someone of your own advice and get of your high moral horse in your attempt to defend Apple.

[Daniel @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:49PM]

Ian: Stop with your nonsense. Ad hominem arguments are a myth. Just like the last line of your post. :-)

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:07PM]

Antiethical isn't a word.

[Matt @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:12PM]

Good thing "antithetical", which is what the article says, is. Read carefully before you correct people.

[caubeck @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:15PM]

Nor is lumphings, but fortunately neither appear in the post.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:19PM]

HAHA I certainly did misread that.

Vote me down!

[XIII @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:28PM]

There couldn't be a more appropriate time to say that.

Apple software is closed-source, yet much of the code actually comprising it is open-source derived. By gimping DTrace, they are hindering the development of new tools and interoperability utilities; the very same situation that open-source licensing attempts to remedy. Keep in mind that DTrace is only included in OS X because the CDDL allows it.

http://developer.apple.com/opensource/overview.html

[Fruition @ Jan 23rd 2008 6:43PM]

It kinda seems to me like the more popular Apple gets, the more Microsoft-like they become. That's probably really mean and unwarranted, but I'd hate to see Apple become the very thing they sought to destroy.

Did Steve Jobs happen upon a ring of power recently?

[riobard @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:20PM]

they always were... they are a company, and they have to make money. they sell only on the "david vs goliath" meme and the "we are superior, who buys our product is superior and our cutomers should feel pity to thouse who are not".

[Fruition @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:25PM]

Oh. Well I've never owned an Apple product, so I can't talk from experience. They may have always been this way, but I've never perceived them as that. So, at the very least, my perception of Apple as a company is changing.

[rp @ Jan 23rd 2008 8:52PM]

It's bound to happen, they have an obligation to protect their shit, whether people like it or not. They aren't an open source company, because that wouldn't have made them money.
Are you telling me that once you get rich and get your Lotus that you're just gonna leave the window rolled down because that's how you used to roll in your Pinto? Apple, in part, is successful because of the iTunes DRM. Why the hell would they want people to ruin it? No matter how much we all hate DRM, I find it difficult to blame Apple for protecting one of their cash cows. You don't lend out your golden egg laying goose and expect to get it back.

[Fruition @ Jan 23rd 2008 9:10PM]

What? Apple? An ordinary company? And here I thought their Macbooks and iPhones were assembled by Oompa Loompas...

[ethana2 @ Jan 23rd 2008 10:32PM]

Since when do we call Chinese people oompa-loompas? That's messed up.

[MacBook Air @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:53PM]

This is SO STUPID! I am a Mac OS X Developer and I can tell you right now that the only people who would need to use DTrace in iTunes are hackers. Why this is becoming such a heated issue is far beyond me.

[ethana2 @ Jan 23rd 2008 10:25PM]

"Why this is becoming such a heated issue is far beyond me."

If Apple got you to develop for their platform, many things are. This is an issue because it demonstrates that even the people who forked out money for evil TPM-'enhanced' pretty white Apple hardware and a Leapord license don't even own their own operating system. Don't you /get/ it? How much do you trust Apple? They could hide craploads of spying functions in iTunes, and as long as it uses an encrypted connection to their servers, you have no way of telling what the heck it's doing.

Apple is as evil as microsoft if not worse, and they have been for a while. I hope those BSD folks are happy with this monster they've done two thirds the work to create. Why can't they just stick to making us wireless card drivers? (Just kidding, cool down, FreeBSD users..)