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From: Terry Lambert <terry@lambert.org>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux.x,comp.os.linux.hardware,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: Why to not buy Matrox Millennium
Date: 28 Mar 1996 03:55:02 GMT
Organization: Utah Valley State College, Orem, Utah
Lines: 33
Message-ID: <4jd2im$19u@park.uvsc.edu>
References: <4j21ph$crr@slappy.cs.utexas.edu> <4j3muv$34m@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> <4j3v64$1rq@virtech.aib.com> <4j7dg2$t3t@moacs11.moacs.indiv.nl.net> <4j8s8a$q8b@newstand.syr.edu> <4j93n1$4jj@solaris.cc.vt.edu> <31598846.6584@vfr.interceptor.com> <4jc6iv$pbj@solaris.cc.vt.edu>
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erik@fenris.campus.vt.edu () wrote:
] I *know* that clean room dissassembly of software is legal.
]
] If I wanted to make a clone of windows, I could do so, perfectly legally.
] Here's how:
]
] I give one group of people a bunch of machines with windows, with
] sophisticated debuggers, disassemblers, lots of time. They find out everything
] about how the interface is implemented.
]
] Then, _the interface_ is given to another team of people. These people
] have never seen the code for windows ( in my example ), and they can write
] based on that code. The result: a clone of Windows, perfectly legal.
]
] This is how a lot of clone chips are created, to ensure compatibility.
] Likewise, how clone makers made BIOS chips from systems once the BIOS was
] no longer included.
]
]
] I am not sure whether or not this is needed to write a X server. If it would
] make people happier, I am sure that it could be arranged that way.
]
] I am curious -- is there anyone actually WILLING TO DO THIS? Or are we all
] just arguing about the academic issue of whether or not it SHOULD be done?
No, there isn't, or Wine would work already.
Terry Lambert
terry@cs.weber.edu
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.