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Software locks: Difference between revisions

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Software locks are security measures used to control access & features in consumer electronic hardware & software. <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(computer_science)</ref>  <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_and_closed-source_software</ref> software locks by definition are not a bad practice and are very necessary for basic cyber security and operation of most hardware.   


== Noteworthy bad practice examples ==
Software locks are security measures used to control access and features in consumer electronic hardware and software. <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(computer_science)</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_and_closed-source_software</ref> Software locks are not considered bad practice and are necessary for basic cybersecurity and operation of most hardware, though they can be abused.     


=== Anti Interoperability ===
==Noteworthy bad practice examples==
  Also see: [[wikipedia:Proprietary_protoco|Proprietary protocols]], [[Anti Interoperability]], [[Hardware Anti Interoperability]]<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_hardware? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_hardware?]</ref>
 
===Anti Interoperability===
  Also see: [[wikipedia:Proprietary_protoco|Proprietary protocols]]
wip  stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it.  
wip  stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it.  


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apple's history of anti-Interoperability
apple's history of anti-Interoperability


=== Account-required products ===
===Account-required products===


=====Mobile phones=====
=====Mobile phones=====
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=== Server connectivity reliance ===
===Server connectivity reliance===
  Also see: [[Subscription service]], [[Digital rights management]]
  Also see: [[Subscription service]], [[Digital rights management]]
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Latest revision as of 07:10, 2 September 2025

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Software locks are security measures used to control access and features in consumer electronic hardware and software. [1][2] Software locks are not considered bad practice and are necessary for basic cybersecurity and operation of most hardware, though they can be abused.

Noteworthy bad practice examples[edit | edit source]

Anti Interoperability[edit | edit source]

Also see: Proprietary protocols

wip stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it.

real example apple mfi certifications on charging and data transfer accessories

apple's history of anti-Interoperability

Account-required products[edit | edit source]

Mobile phones[edit | edit source]

ref Small preamble focused on how mobile phones require an account in order to be used, reference Google Pixels and specific Android devices requiring a Google account, and iPhones needing an Apple account.

in appliances[edit | edit source]

hvac app activation of furnace control boards (also an example of Forced app download (editors note hard to find credible ref this is a thing with ruud furnace control boards) )

Binding hardware features to non-transferable user accounts / activation & licensing locks[edit | edit source]

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Server connectivity reliance[edit | edit source]

Also see: Subscription service, Digital rights management

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Further reading / also see[edit | edit source]

DRM (digital right managment)

Proprietary Software

Walled garden / Software Ecosystem

Bootloader unlocking

Proprietary firmware