Conversation with Bruce Cheney
(developer) about unencrypting Avenue scripts
To: Johannes Weigel
Subject: Unencrypt Script
I am sure your intentions are good (I hope) but I don't think this
Unencrypt script is such a good idea. It is a good way for people to
steal source code that works better than most of the half complete
scripts on ESRI's site. I would encourage you to remove it from the
website. Most people wouldn't know what to do with it anyway. This
script may be illegal anyway.
Bruce Cheney
Developer
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To: Bruce Cheney
Subject: Re: Unencrypt script
Hello Bruce!
I think You're wrong to criticize unencryption. There is one way to
prevent people to "steal" source code which is to legally protect it.
But if you program something and protect it (and everybody has to
accept a license contract before downloading anything from ESRI's
site), You have no chance to check if anybody has "stolen" your source
code if he/she has the easy chance just to encrypt it. I programmed
several scripts and extensions which You can download from ESRI, and
they all are open source and legally protected. I want to have the
chance to check if my source code is used illegally by others, and
every open source programmer has the same right to do so.
By the way, do You know why encryption encodes the whole source code,
including remarks, variable names and everything, instead of just
saving the compiled scripts? The only reason why this is done is that
unencryption is provided by the developers of encryption (scripts have
to be unencrypted by ArcView to be started anyway, but why are all the
remarks included in the code?). It is just a back door for ESRI to
check every Avenue source code by everybody. But there is no reason
that ESRI should be privileged to do so. Meanwhile ESRI removed
unencrypt .ave and scripttool.avx from their site. The reason is that
they want to keep their unencryption privilege.
My unencrypt scripts are definitely not illegal. My intention when
programming unencrypt.ave was (a) to find out if somebody is stealing
my source code, and (b) to unencrypt my own scripts when I lost the
original unencrypted version. If somebody is using my script for
illegal purposes, it is not my script which is illegal but the purposes
it is used for. Therefor You have laws. But stones are not illegal even
though You can throw them through windows.
Bye,
Johannes
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To: Johannes Weigel
Subject: Unencrypt Script
Thanks for your response. Very good points. I agree and understand what
you are saying. That which can be used for good can be turned for evil
and vice versa. I guess I was just looking at it from the negative
side. I was just expecting the stealing of source code which will go on
anyway. The positive sides can also be used - I see now. I certainly
could have used the script when I first began programming in Avenue. I
encrypted a project without having a backup and had to start over. I
guess ESRI will probably be the masters at using this site to learn how
to do their own programming.
As far as protecting code or software goes - it is virtually
impossible. A license or trademark on a software product is almost a
joke now. It is impossible to police who owns your software and
impossible to track down someone who may be stealing code. So I guess
with such open source programming it really comes down to what each
product looks like and how it is marketed.
I'm sure you are angry now with what has happened to your script. I
wish everyone could be trusted including the original encrypt script
writers. I'm sure they still have a copy of your script. They may call
you for a job.
Bruce
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URL: http://www.ecogis.de/bruce.html
Homepage: http://www.ecogis.de/
last edited: Johannes Weigel, June 12, 2002