On Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:03:50 -0700, Darren New wrote:

> Right. That's why I said "DMCA notwithstanding".

Problem is, we can't choose to ignore DMCA.  I'm not sure I follow you 
here.

> "Illegal copies." Now, is it OK to circumvent to make legal copies?
> That's what I was trying to say before - I think there's specifically
> language in the DMCA to allow circumvention of necessary to use the
> material as intended.

But in the case you put forth, use of a program that is restricted in 
platform through technological means is not use of the program "as 
intended".  I guess part of the question is "intended by whom?".

Taking Jeremy's suggested idea, I purchase a program that's developed to 
run on the Mac, but I don't have a Mac.  If my intention is the important 
one and my intention is to run it on a Linux-based PC, would it be legal 
for me to reverse-engineer the program in order to recompile it to run on 
Linux?  I would seriously doubt that, and I think a challenge on that 
basis would ultimately fail in court.

Jim

Post a reply to this message