On Sat, 2005-08-06 at 17:29 +0200, Julien HENRY wrote:
> No, I don't include ASM in my program. I just inspect
> ASM to understand USB logs, and I write my personnal C
> code that "imitate" what ASM does.

Yeah. And they can claim that they developed the algorithms and thus
you're violating their Copyright. By actually looking at their code
you're "tainted".

Ultimately, it's your choice (and possibly problem). I wouldn't do it
that way for the given reasons.

johannes
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 832 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : 
http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/sane-devel/attachments/20050808/be6d7bef/attachment.pgp
From p...@all-the-johnsons.co.uk  Mon Aug  8 09:31:36 2005
From: p...@all-the-johnsons.co.uk (Paul F. Johnson)
Date: Mon Aug  8 09:52:27 2005
Subject: [sane-devel] Re: Is reverse engineering legal ?
In-Reply-To: <1123491622.6068.16.camel@localhost>
References: <20050806152904.58093.qm...@web26610.mail.ukl.yahoo.com>
        <1123491622.6068.16.camel@localhost>
Message-ID: <ikwd4o.shf...@webmail.all-the-johnsons.co.uk>

Hi,

> > No, I don't include ASM in my program. I just inspect
> > ASM to understand USB logs, and I write my personnal C
> > code that "imitate" what ASM does.
> 
> Yeah. And they can claim that they developed the algorithms and thus
> you're violating their Copyright. By actually looking at their code
> you're "tainted".

Depends on if you're in the EU or not. In the EU, if either the company has
gone to the wall or the software will not work on your specific hardware, you
can (in some circumstances) reverse engineer the source to fix it. IANAL, but
looking at logs doesn't taint anyone - logs just tell you what messages have
been sent, nothing about the code etc.
 
> Ultimately, it's your choice (and possibly problem). I wouldn't do it
> that way for the given reasons.

That's always the choice. I know I've reverse engineered the odd scanner &
printer or three, released the source and nothing has happened (I even offered
it to the company who made the scanner!)

TTFN

Paul
-- 
"Logic, my dear Zoe, is merely the ability to be wrong with authority" - Dr
Who


Reply via email to