[CS-FSLUG] Christian ethics regarding reverse engineering of non-free software

[Don Parris]

Michael Bradley, Jr. wrote:
> Many thanks, Christopher.
> 
> In Christ,
> 
> Michael Bradley, Jr.
> 
> 
> 
> On Oct 5, 2005, at 3:25 AM, Christopher Rose wrote:
> 
>> Michael,
>>
>> I have never heard of anything like unto what you are asking. This  
>> does not mean that such does not exist, just that I am aware of it.  
>> Truthfully, I do not think it would be wise to reverse engineer  
>> something in a screen by screen fashion so that it looks and act  
>> exactly like the proprietary item. Rather, I would argue that you  
>> should just try to create something that acts in a similiar manner  
>> but give it a somewhat different design so that you can not be  
>> accused of theft. That is what I feel that reverse-engineering  
>> software is when you do not have proper permission to do so. I am  
>> still waiting for word from Delphi for an application (a game) that  I 
>> would like to reverse engineer for Linux. However, I feel I need  to 
>> ask for permission due to the fact that it would be almost  pointless 
>> to not make it as similiar as possible to the original.  If I am not 
>> granted permission, then I will simply scrub the  project. For me it 
>> is that simply. For as it is written in Exodus  20:15 "Thou shalt not 
>> steal."
>>
>> Pax,
>> Christopher L. Rose
>>

While I view copyright infringement as being very different from "theft", I 
do agree that reverse engineering a program could be problematic.  Ideas can 
only be copied or mimiced, not stolen.  Still, you would do well to develop 
something that offers similar appearance & functionality without copying the 
design outright, unless you can obtain permission from the author/vendor.

Blessings,
Don