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Re: Re: Results of "downloading compressed program images" request




On Wed, 21 Jan 1998, Robert J. Brown wrote:

> 
> Which of course makes it even less useful for someone to "steal" your
> code.  Generally, hardware (other than PALs, ROMs, FPGAs, and full
> custom ASICs) can be reverse engineered by just looking inside the
> device one purchased.  Software is not "visible" in that same way.
> 
> If your hardware is truley unique and you want to protect it, then
> patent it.  If it is not unique, then where's the beef?  The only
> downside I can see is if you stole your hardware technology and need
> to keep its inards secret to keep from getting busted!
> 
> But if you stole it, then you had to steal the software too.  But if
> software was unprotectable IP, then you were welcome to steal it; you
> just wouldn't legaly have hardware to run it on unless you licensed
> use of the inventor's patent.
> 
> I repeat, of all the places where software is used, embedded systems
> seem to be the place that least needs IP protection.  If your product
> *IS* for a PC, and is a pure software product, then give away the
> software and sell the support.  That way, even people who get your
> software second hand will still need your support.

There may be little need for IP legal protection because of the high cost
of stealing/reproducing the hardware but there are cases where the payoff
has been high enough to justify it.  All of us who are old enough will
remember tales that the USSR had cloned some old IBM mainframes down to
the color of the wires.  I also recall that they actually duplicated an
early microprocessor like the 8080.

I know of weapons system which consider the hardware configuration very
tightly held information.  The power of the microprocessor indicates what
type of functionality might be in the unit.  Some systems have "magic
buttons" which wipe out programmable parts if the unit must be abandoned.
The "customer" (i.e. the military) should get the source code and
hardware information without question but this information can not be made
freely available.  I have heard that one issue in movies which utilize
military systems like submarines, aircraft,etc is that the dials must be
regraduated so the true speed/depth/altitude capabilities of the system
are not obvious from the red line on the gauge. :)

I am not pretending this is an argument for not giving the source code for
embedded systems just that there are security and safety concerns which
must be considered for many systems.  Would you want to be dependent on an
elevator, public transportation, or traffic control system which have been
"updated" by a random individual?

--joel
Joel Sherrill                    Director of Research & Development
joel@OARcorp.com                 On-Line Applications Research
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