>>29It's already happening. Windows 7 was the last Microsoft OS that needed a VESA BIOS; once it's gone everything will be using EFI.
>>33This however remains a totally viable option. The application you're using has to specifically elect to use HDCP, so if you aren't using a DRM encumbered player for DRM encumbered media you really oughtn't care.
The bigger thing to be worried about is mandatory signing of applications by the OS vendors, as is already a
de facto standard on mobile devices. Then all the OS vendor needs to do in order to force you to use DRM encumbered players is to refuse to sign the free ones.