CompuServe Messages

I'm not sure I agree… Although I'm not trying to defend the decoding of the PhotoCD file format, I'm not convinced that you can protect a file format. A common example described in software copyright books is that you can't protect the organization of a pre-printed form, like a bookkeeping form. Isn't that more like a file format than, as you described, my backyard? In real life, Syndesis has never had to reverse-engineer a format, we've always had the cooperation of the company involved. Some of them went into it kicking and screaming, though… mostly because they didn't have the format documented themselves. And we've honored several company's requests not to decipher their proprietary file formats. In one case, a company cut a deal with a 3D-model-making company. They sell a low-priced bundle of their models in a proprietary format. Buying them in a more popular format would cost much more. People want ICP to support it so they can get the models for the discounted price. As for your defense of decoding undocumented formats, it sounds a bit like you want the ends to justify the means. If "Company N" didn't publicize their file format, said "no" when you asked for it, isn't it possible that they are trying to prevent some kind of damage they feel they'd suffer if someone else knew about it? (Imagined or actual damage, of course.) Yet you went ahead and reverse-engineered their efforts and now clearly understand presumably private parts of their algorithms, you are saying it's OK because you're not using the information against them. Who gets to judge that nebulous concept? LightRave says they're not "hurting" NewTek, and pirates say they're not "hurting" sales because they wouldn't buy it anyway. Wouldn't it be an injustice if your deciphering was incomplete and you weren't quite properly supporting their format? Or that you were writing incorrect files? Just trying to keep you consistent, my old friend. 🙂 At least you recognize why you "might jump either way" if someone deciphered *your* proprietary formats.