copy protection - was: Re: Is it time for playing games on WINE?

[Shachar Shemesh]

Geoff Thorpe wrote:

>On November 5, 2003 01:00 am, Jonathan Wilson wrote:
>  
>
>>Basicly as long as our code:
>>A.cant run "copied" safedisk disks ("perfect copies" and "no-cd cracks"
>>aside) and B.cant be modified to run "copied" safedisk disks (e.g. by
>>disabling some parts of the WINE code that performed checks)
>>then I think that we would probobly not be violating the DMCA (although
>>IANAL)
>>    
>>
>
>This is slippery ground. Given that Wine is open source (and moreover, 
>very clearly laid-out, non-obfuscated, *structured* code), you can't 
>possibly satisfy (A) and (B) in such a way that they aren't "easy" to 
>bypass (ie. such that I can't simply comment out a couple of lines of 
>code and type "make").
>
>  
>
I don't get it. As far as I understand, so long as the code in the Wine 
archives does not allow running copied discs, we are not violating the 
DMCA. If someone else takes Wine code and modifies it, that's where the 
DMCA violation happens.

If this becomes a real issue, I can offer to host the Wine sources in a 
DMCA free country. I'm sure you'll all agree with me that the sources 
are the only prolematic part (if a given binary does not allow copied 
discs to run, it cannot be said to be infringing).

             Shachar

-- 
Shachar Shemesh
Open Source integration consultant
Home page & resume - http://www.shemesh.biz/