kernel32:add ReadFileScatter

luis.busquets at ilidium.com luis.busquets at ilidium.com
Mon Dec 3 02:33:39 CST 2007


Just to add more clarity to the IPR of computer programs and if it is
legal to decompile and implement a program again.
In Europe, software is protected by Council Directive 91/250/EEC of 14 May
1991 on the legal protection of computer programs
(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31991L0250:EN:HTML).
There are a number of things that a software vendor cannot forbid. In
particular article 6 speaks about decompilation. It can be done only if
the information necessary to achieve interoperability has not previously
been readily available (a.1.b) to achieve programs interoperable with the
first one  (a.1) but not to be used for the development, production or
marketing of a computer program substantially similar in its expression
(a. 6.2.c).
It could be argued that wine is not replicating Windows as it is just the
top API. Nevertherless, to avoid any legal problems, it is better to
refrain from adding any patches obtained by decompilation.






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