From: wagray AT taz DOT dra DOT hmg DOT gb (Walter Gray)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Disassembly
Date: 14 Aug 1998 15:22:45 GMT
Organization: Defence Research Agency
Lines: 31
Message-ID: <6r1ko5$ap9$1@trog.dra.hmg.gb>
References: <199808101645 DOT MAA09421 AT delorie DOT com> <3 DOT 0 DOT 1 DOT 16 DOT 19980813115148 DOT 1a87e582 AT shadow DOT net>
Reply-To: wagray AT taz DOT dra DOT hmg DOT gb
NNTP-Posting-Host: taz.dra.hmg.gb
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Precedence: bulk

In article <3 DOT 0 DOT 1 DOT 16 DOT 19980813115148 DOT 1a87e582 AT shadow DOT net>, Ralph Proctor <ralphgpr AT shadow DOT net> writes:
 :At 04:56 PM 8/11/98 GMT, you wrote:
 :
 :>.......................... You would have to sue them for the cash value
 :>of any damages you have suffered......................................
 :
 :>Walter
 :
 :Walter, this is exactly what I had in mind. In the case I envisioned there
 :would be NO CASH VALUE LOST, because there would be no selling or even
 :distribution of the experiment. There would only be "tinkering" --to use an
 :old timey term--to learn and improve. Absolutely no plagerism or stealing
 :for gain was to be considered in my inquiry. Unless one would consider
 :learning as a form of theft--there, that is beyond my comprehension
 :
 :I think the concept of "tort" or proven harm or damage is not understood,
 :but I am not a lawyer, just an amateur with some common sense.
 :

In principle a jury might agree that DJ had suffered mental anguish
at the thought of you disassembling his code, and they might put
a (substantial) cash value on that anguish, so you're not home free 
yet. Try to avoid causing DJ any mental anguish.

In fact, I would suffer mental anguish wondering why you disassemble
when the sources are available under the "GNU" system.


Walter

Disclaimer: My employer is not responsible for this stuff.