Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!scea!pro1-137.barrie.connex.net!user From: developer@woodentulip.com (Sean Kennedy) Newsgroups: scea.yaroze.freetalk Subject: Re: question about hackers realm of the psx Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 19:30:45 -0500 Organization: Wooden Tulip Ltd. Lines: 108 Message-ID: References: <78th3q$1as8@scea> NNTP-Posting-Host: pro1-137.barrie.connex.net > I am wondering what we, with our license agreement and all are supposed to > do about the info that surrounds the hackers psx realm of coding? I mean, > alot of the docs from there are quite low-level. I have only glanced at it. > With this information staring at us in the face, are we supposed to turn our > backs and pretend it doesnt exist? I dont even know if its any good - but > it might be usefull, if there is nothing wrong with us using it? Any > ideas/thoughts? I dont know really, where I am going with this topic, but I > thought it would be interesting to discuss. =) > thanks. > -ben Hi Ben, In relation to the Yaroze Licence Agreement, you have to be aware of the following Licence Agreement paragraphs: This is heavy, but bear with me. In your use of the Yaroze Server, you shall not: 7.1 Publish or post material or information that (a) defames another, (b) infringes on the legal or intellectual property rights (including rights of privacy or publicity) of others, (c) is obscene or sexually explicit, (d) is racially or ethnically objectionable, (e) depicts intoxication or substance abuse, (f) reflects adversely on the name, reputation or goodwill of SCEA or its affiliates or (g) violates any law or regulation. **** Note number one **** Part (g) is the real important one here. And it isnt necessarily the "law" violation that would land you in a heap of trouble. It is the "regulation" point that is important. Little do you know that there are MANY regulations in a LARGE Variety of repositories that Sony Computer Entertainment has many regulations. Some even that you are not aware of yet they can stick to you when you least expect it. Usually when you ask? How come the LIBPS.A library does not contain any support for Full-Motion-Video? or for that matter a "Dual-Shock" support? I hate to say it, if it does not come from Sony with a Sony blessing, it is unlicenced, and would be considered illegal. The big point here is the "reverse engineering" something that is really not allowed for publication. **** End of Note Number One **** **** Note Number two. **** 7.3 Upload files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws, rights of privacy or publicity, or any other applicable law unless you (a) own or control the rights to that software or other material or (b) have received all necessary consents to do so. This one too, is an interesting point. I am an adherent of the Open Source Software exchange. I am for a few reasons, chiefly, if I like someone's software I want to see it grow, and I want to see the developer get some thanks for it. But I do too, like to look at how someone has done something, and use similar mechanisms to do the same in my code, or if I see a place where I can improve the software, and I can assist, I will not hesitate to do so. At least I know I will also get thanks for it too. That is why I am a big fan of the GNU Public Licence orientation of Linux. But I do not like seeing companies large or small {Like Microsoft on one hand, and Internet Cracker_Warez groups on the other} STEALING someones software and using it for their own profit. {I always wondered how WAREZ sites keep in business, since THEY say, that they do not charge you for the software???} This is Wrong. **** End of Note two. **** So to recap, in reference to the Hacker PSX realm. Be Careful. I am not going to "Turn my back" and say they do not exist, they do and the content is there for you to peruse at your own discretion. I Sean Kennedy, nor is SCEA going to, and simply; cannot control content that is publically published on the Internet. No could be control you downloading and testing/compiling the code you receive. The benefit pretains to you, and you have rights from the public domain and the privacy act to have access to that content and do what you wish personally on YOUR Computer System at home. Where you can get into trouble is when you want to advertise source code that CAN be compiled and made runnable. {Usually you need the in-line Assembler code and a supporting xfile.h or ECOFF library to get the machine code.} As well, Bytecode can get you into trouble. If it can be proven that Bytecode is not your intellectual property, and is not Licenced by SCEA, and you distribute it INSIDE of SCEA, or its servers, you can get into trouble. I am not trying to scare you. I want you to realise what using "Outside" software inside the SCEA domain {Of Servers and Protected Internet/Intranet exchange systems} and distibuting it can lead to. But I again, cannot control you from accessing public information servers that contain obscene or sexually explicit material, any more than I can prevent you from accessing www.sony.com now can I? Nor could I prevent you from advertising your own web-site outside of SCEA from within SCEA so long as it does not Publically slander or defame SCEA or lead to obscene or sexually explicit material can I? Being careful allows you to be-ware. -sean