> -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List > [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Scott > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 11:21 AM > To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu > Subject: Re: Of interest to Developers > > I'm not disagreeing that it's extremely bad advice (it is), > but I don't > believe the legal ramifications are all that big. Mostly > it's just stupid > to invest so much time/effort/money into cracking whatever > USB key algorithm > is used.
If I were to do such an obnoxious thing, I assure you it would not be easily breakable. It would contain a low power CPU, possibly ARM, and ROM'ed software possibly along with custom ASIC chips. Getting the ARM processor and reading out the ROM might be possible. Duplicating the ASIC chip(s)? Much more expensive. > > I'm doubtful that simply cracking the USB key, assuming > you've paid for the > appropriate licenses, would give a company the legal right to > sue you. Many > aspects of EULAs have never even been tested. Besides that, > most courts > would likely throw out the case brought by the Vendor if it's > demonstrated > that everything has been paid for. You can't just sue > because people didn't > play by your rules. You have to demonstrate that the other > party not only > caused damages but also that they violated some law or the > terms of the > contract (which would then be tested for validity). You'd likely get hit with a suit based, in the US at least, on the DMCA. People have been using DMCA to suppress web sites containing "proprietary" information that they didn't want others to know. > > Again, spending a lot of money on software and then spending > even more to > break this or that idiotic copy protection scheme is a > serious waste of > time. Economics plays a very valid role here. Buy another piece of > software and let the Vendor know why you're doing so. Then > maybe they'll > stop acting so schizophrenic. > > Scott Exactly! "Why did you get rid of / replace our ... product?" "It was too expensive and I found another way to do what I needed." This is, to me, exactly what is wrong with the z (and i!) at present. IBM is 100% in control and can basically do what they want. Of course, they are generally (so far) fairly reasonable. Except when it comes to "clones" of the zArchitecture. -- John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * (817)-961-6183 cell john.mck...@healthmarkets.com * www.HealthMarkets.com Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
