OSNews

Actually U.S. law directly and emphatically permits and supports all efforts in the name of universal compatibility. It is a de facto requirement of a free-market system.

The problem is FAR beyond technology. If you have a part on your car which fails frequently, you can reverse engineer that part and re-engineer a replacement. You can't just COPY, but you CAN create a competing product.

The law ( and precedent ) clearly provides for technical compatibility on all levels without restriction except ( roughly ) as follows:

1. Violation of Copyright
2. Violation of Trademark
3. Violation of Patent
4. Violation of Contract
5. Illegal Possession of Property ( i.e. source code )

Without falling into any of the above violations, one can do as they will in the name of compatibility.

I ( or you ) have every right in the U.S. to reverse engineer ANYTHING and create a competing product, without fear of legal reprisal ( not that lawyers care about the law anymore ).

Not to be condescending, I would not expect ANYONE to know every law pertaining to even a SINGLE matter, and there is every possibility I am unaware of more recent findings or new precedence set which invalidates the written letter of the law. However, the law is written as such, and numerous, fairly recent, cases have been proven to the affirmative of the actual letter of the law, so I feel safe :-)

--The loon