interesting. this suggests that naming the practice of blocking the execution of modified or recompiled versions of programs as Tivoization may have been a misnomer. from what you say, it seems that Tivo did not do that. but that didn't stop others from doing just that. for lack of a better term to describe that practice, I keep on calling it Tivoization.

I don't think this case is one of digital handcuffs, at least not in the program itself. it's other components of the device reacting to the modification. you could say it's digital handcuffs in the other components. but it's not the program itself stopping you from doing things.

I guess what feeds the confusion is that GPLv3 addressed both issues. but the definition of Tivoization, e.g. on Wikipedia, is pretty clear and well-referenced: it's about blocking the execution of modified versions, without any mention to other programs' refusing to function along with the modification.

CC: @jas@fosstodon.org @Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com