[PD] legal issues with reverse engineering proprietary software (such as Max)

[Alexandre Torres Porres]

Howdy, perhaps you wise folks can help me think about this topic.

What are legal issues with reverse engineering proprietary software as an
open source project, what are the boundaries when it is not ok anymore?

Sure I'm more interested in the case of cloning Max/MSP to Pd as in the
cyclone library, but it's a generic topic anyhow that can be broadened.

But if we're to discuss this particular case, does Cycling hold the power
to sue and prevent cyclone from being distributed?

It's not like their code is being used anyway, or some patented/proprietary
algorithm is being "stolen". It's all about *reverse engineering* it and
having same functionality as objects with the same name... and I don't
think you can hold the rights to that.

Maybe if you were to clone the whole damn software exactly, and be able to
save files in the max format and everything...  then you'd be on to
something... I think you'd cross the line with that one...

well, that's what I have for now, thanks

cheers
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