My how fast the AI tech bros move to protect corporations but don’t move to protect the average coder, artists, writers.

  • HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    edit-2
    2 hours ago

    The adobe suite was not reverse engineered, in the sense in which the term is applied to binary, closed-source softeware. Rather, it was cloned.

    This is technically and often also legally very different. Cloning is a new implementation of a system which reproduces the abstract API of an existing System. Since APIs are not subject to copyright law, this is legally unproblemaric. It is also a creative process (so far). For exsmple, Linux is a clone of AT & T Unix.

    Reverse engineering uses techniques like analysing the internal behaviour and decompiling the binary code of an existing product. It is im general not illegal, but it can violate license agreements and is more in a grey area. Laws like the DMCA might also apply if some kind of copy protection is used.

    BTW, many Linux drivers are reverse enginnered to some degree.

    • demonsword@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      26 minutes ago

      For exsmple, Linux is a clone of AT & T Unix.

      Unless your definition of “clone” is very different from the mainstream one, you’re talking out of your ass here. Linux was written from scratch. The only thing they’ve got in common is being POSIX-compliant.