Re: [tlug] Novel embraces Microsoft

[Keith Bawden <isdj@example.com>]

stephen@example.com wrote:
> Edward Middleton writes:
> 
>  > It could also end up being developed/maintained in a company or
>  > consortium hostile to Microsofts interests.
> 
> That's a given.  Microsoft considers anything that it doesn't control
> hostile.
> 
> And in this case, there's clear reason to presume hostility.  Core
> Samba development is led by the guy who went out of his way to screw
> up the kernel development process simply because the company that
> contributed the repository keeps its product proprietary.  No?[1]

# SNIP

I'm not sure if writing a tool to pull some meta data is going out of
ones way to "screw up the kernel development process".

I saw a demonstration on how Andrew Tridgell "reverse engineered"
bitkeeper's proprietary protocol to create his tool. He used telnet to
connect and then typed help. He then used this output find out which
commands he could issue to pull out the meta data data he needed.

I'm not a developer, but is the above really reverse engineering or
unethical in any way? After all isn't the meta data also the property of
the person who owns the data it is related to? If it is then should one
be allowed ready access to this? Especially if the mechanisms are
already made available to do so via using something as simple as telnet?

Regards, Keith