[pp.int.general] cultural flatrate: PP position?

[Christian]

Richard Stallman wrote:
> Reverse engineering would clearly be allowed, if these binaries are in
> the public domain, but it is so difficult that it is not a solution.
> 
> There are many binary firmware packages that we need to reverse
> engineer now, so as to learn hardware information with which to
> develop free software replacements.  These programs are fairly small,
> at most thousands of lines, and yet we cannot even find the people to
> do that.  Do you believe that people will disassemble programs that
> are hundreds of thousands of lines?  I don't think so.  Feel free to
> organize an effort people to prove me wrong, but until you succeed, I
> can't consider this a solution.

Since more and more code is compiled to byte code, which can be easier
decompiled, this problem shrinks a little bit - but is still existent -
so you are right.


> However, it looks like we agree in supporting Valentin's solution:
> making copyright last somewhat longer if certain specified freedoms
> are granted by license to the users can solve the problem.  If the
> details are set up right (10-year copyright on copylefted free
> software), this is a solution I can endorse.

Perfect. :)


Christian