4 ms·

Is this legal?

by ncdr 10y ago

Is this legal?

breul99 10y ago
Most EULAs prohibit it, probably not.
- trishume 10y ago
  Sublime's doesn't: https://www.sublimetext.com/eula https://www.sublimetext.com/eula
- creshal 10y ago
  Most EULAs aren't legally binding either.
  - bitwize 10y ago
    Vernor v. Autodesk. Look it up. EULAs are legally binding contracts in the USA.
    - jtl999 10y ago
      And plenty of people don't live in the USA. :)
      - guitarbill 10y ago
        e.g. Sublime HQ Pty Ltd, which is Australian: https://www.sublimetext.com/buy?v=3 https://www.sublimetext.com/buy?v=3
trishume 10y ago
AFAIK yes. It's not illegal to look at how something works. There are some dumb laws in the US about circumventing and changing things, but I didn't actually touch anything. I would also be more skittish if I was looking at the license key validation code, but I didn't since I bought a license a long time ago (it was totally worth it).
- bitwize 10y ago
  Most EULAs forbid reverse-engineering, decompiling, or disassembly. In the USA, EULAs are legally binding contracts per Vernor v. Autodesk, so disassembling a program in violation of the EULA could make you civilly or criminally liable for copyright infringement.
  - brazzledazzle 10y ago
    Generally probably worth keeping in mind but it seems extremely unlikely someone developing a tool for developers is going to make a stink about reverse engineering anything except for license validation code.
  - codedokode 10y ago
    It is actually illogical. If you paid for a program and later do not accept EULA then what have you paid for? I think if you have bought a program you get the right to use it without any EULAs because that's what a purchase is. I hope other countries have more reasonable laws.
    - bitwize 10y ago
      This is the exact issue under law in Vernor, to wit: whether or not a customer who purchased AutoCAD had the right to resell his copy under the "first sale doctrine" (AutoCAD licenses are nontransferable per the EULA). Most proprietary software comes with a statement "This software is licensed, not sold" or words to that effect. You are not buying a copy of the software; you are buying a license to use the software. Because you must make a copy of the software (in memory) in order to use it, you are in violation of copyright by using the software without a license. So any use of the software is subject to the terms of the EULA and by using the software you agree to those terms. Violating the terms = no license = no right to use the software. Pretty standard contract law really, and the 9th circuit agreed, finding in favor of Autodesk in Vernor. But hire a lawyer if you need to know for sure.
      - codedokode 10y ago

Is this legal?

by ncdr 10y ago

Is this legal?

breul99 10y ago

Most EULAs prohibit it, probably not.

trishume 10y ago
Sublime's doesn't: https://www.sublimetext.com/eula https://www.sublimetext.com/eula
creshal 10y ago
Most EULAs aren't legally binding either.
- bitwize 10y ago
  Vernor v. Autodesk. Look it up. EULAs are legally binding contracts in the USA.
  - jtl999 10y ago
    And plenty of people don't live in the USA. :)
    - guitarbill 10y ago
      e.g. Sublime HQ Pty Ltd, which is Australian: https://www.sublimetext.com/buy?v=3 https://www.sublimetext.com/buy?v=3

trishume 10y ago

AFAIK yes. It's not illegal to look at how something works. There are some dumb laws in the US about circumventing and changing things, but I didn't actually touch anything. I would also be more skittish if I was looking at the license key validation code, but I didn't since I bought a license a long time ago (it was totally worth it).

bitwize 10y ago
Most EULAs forbid reverse-engineering, decompiling, or disassembly. In the USA, EULAs are legally binding contracts per Vernor v. Autodesk, so disassembling a program in violation of the EULA could make you civilly or criminally liable for copyright infringement.
- brazzledazzle 10y ago
  Generally probably worth keeping in mind but it seems extremely unlikely someone developing a tool for developers is going to make a stink about reverse engineering anything except for license validation code.
- codedokode 10y ago
  It is actually illogical. If you paid for a program and later do not accept EULA then what have you paid for? I think if you have bought a program you get the right to use it without any EULAs because that's what a purchase is. I hope other countries have more reasonable laws.
  - bitwize 10y ago
    This is the exact issue under law in Vernor, to wit: whether or not a customer who purchased AutoCAD had the right to resell his copy under the "first sale doctrine" (AutoCAD licenses are nontransferable per the EULA). Most proprietary software comes with a statement "This software is licensed, not sold" or words to that effect. You are not buying a copy of the software; you are buying a license to use the software. Because you must make a copy of the software (in memory) in order to use it, you are in violation of copyright by using the software without a license. So any use of the software is subject to the terms of the EULA and by using the software you agree to those terms. Violating the terms = no license = no right to use the software. Pretty standard contract law really, and the 9th circuit agreed, finding in favor of Autodesk in Vernor. But hire a lawyer if you need to know for sure.
    - codedokode 10y ago