2 Feb
2006
2 Feb
'06
4:18 p.m.
"I think that reverse engineering of the Microsoft Code is wrong!!!"
According to US law that is incorrect.
(reference 1 <http://digital-law-online.info/lpdi1.0/treatise48.html>,
reference 2
<http://uscode.house.gov/uscode-cgi/fastweb.exe?getdoc+uscview+t17t20+122+0++%28%29%20%20AND%20%28%2817%29%20ADJ%20USC%29%3ACITE%20AND%20%28USC%20w%2F10%20%281201%29%29%3ACITE%20%20AND%20%28CHAPTER%20ADJ%20%2812%29%29%3AEXPCITE%20%20%20%20%20%20%20>)
Title 17, Chapter 12, Section 1201 of the US Code:
(f) Reverse Engineering. - (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of
subsection (a)(1)(A), a person who has lawfully obtained the right
to use a copy of a computer program may circumvent a technological
measure that effectively controls access to a particular portion of
that program for the sole purpose of identifying and analyzing
those elements of the program that are necessary to achieve
interoperability of an independently created computer program with
other programs, and that have not previously been readily available
to the person engaging in the circumvention, to the extent any such
acts of identification and analysis do not constitute infringement
under this title.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a)(2) and (b),
a person may develop and employ technological means to circumvent a
technological measure, or to circumvent protection afforded by a
technological measure, in order to enable the identification and
analysis under paragraph (1), or for the purpose of enabling
interoperability of an independently created computer program with
other programs, if such means are necessary to achieve such
interoperability, to the extent that doing so does not constitute
infringement under this title.
(3) The information acquired through the acts permitted under
paragraph (1), and the means permitted under paragraph (2), may be
made available to others if the person referred to in paragraph (1)
or (2), as the case may be, provides such information or means
solely for the purpose of enabling interoperability of an
independently created computer program with other programs, and to
the extent that doing so does not constitute infringement under
this title or violate applicable law other than this section.
(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term "interoperability"
means the ability of computer programs to exchange information, and
of such programs mutually to use the information which has been
exchanged.
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