From: Weiqi Gao <weiqigao AT a DOT crl DOT com>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Okay, I have to ask this
Date: Sat, 01 Aug 1998 20:10:46 -0500
Organization: Spectrum Healthcare Services
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John Meyer wrote:
> 
> What is "reverse engineering"?  And why is it illegal?

Reverse engineering traditionally means to disassemble a executable
program (in machine code) to discover how the program works.

Reverse engineering is not illegal in general.  For example, you can
write and compile a program and then reverse engineer it all you want. 
It'll be perfectly legal.

It becomes illegal only when you license a program from another company
and the prohibition of reverse engineering is part of the license
agreement.

--
Weiqi Gao
weiqigao AT a DOT crl DOT com