On Mon, Aug 20, 2001 at 03:55:06PM +1000, Matthew Sullivan wrote:
Leighton Haynes wrote:
Actually, while I will agree that reverse-engineering the AMI BIOS is not a particularly useful exercise here, I disagree that it could result in handcuffs (legally, at least ;)). Reverse engineering is perfectly legal in most sane countrie (the USA, in no way represents a sane country). Nevertheless, they can still doa fair bit to make your life miserable if they so choose, as evidenced in the deCSS case.
deCSS was nothing like the reverse engineering issue at stake here... The deCSS case is being brought under the DMCA which forbids tools that the decrypting of copyright material - without the authority of copyright owners. It is being swung by the Record companies to their favour (wrongly in my opinion) to block software that _could_ be used to duplicate DVD's.... It is nothing to do with the reverse engineering of the Algorithm use to encrypt the DVD's as the Algorithm was not reverse engineered to create deCSS... that however is another story and WAY off topic... ;-)
Actually, I was referring to Jon Johanssen being arrested in Norway(?) after reverse engineering css. While he certainly wasn't arrested for reverse-engineering, it was certainly what triggered his arrest. :) I should have been clearer ;)
Leighton...