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Skype protocol reverse engineered, source available

skype-open-source.blogspot.com

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Re: Skype protocol reverse engineered, source available

#4

My aim is to make skype open source. Isn't that decision up to the folks who own the rights to the original code? Personally, I'd be hesitant to get into a project that has more need for lawyers than coders.

I think that claim would be better off if rephrased as "my aim is to make a skype compatible open source software"

Re: Skype protocol reverse engineered, source available

#5

My aim is to make skype open source. Isn't that decision up to the folks who own the rights to the original code? Personally, I'd be hesitant to get into a project that has more need for lawyers than coders.

I think that claim would be better off if rephrased as "my aim is to make a skype compatible open source software"

That still doesn't mitigate the need for lawyers. The protocol is still intellectual property, and reverse engineering it may not be without consequences.

Re: Skype protocol reverse engineered, source available

#9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that claim would be better off if rephrased as "my aim is to make a skype compatible open source software"

That still doesn't mitigate the need for lawyers. The protocol is still intellectual property, and reverse engineering it may not be without consequences.

"intellectual property"

That's a really muddy term. How exactly can you protect a protocol? Trade secret? Patents?

Copyright shouldn't apply if it's a reimplementation.

Edit: s/since/if/

Re: Skype protocol reverse engineered, source available

#10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that claim would be better off if rephrased as "my aim is to make a skype compatible open source software"

That still doesn't mitigate the need for lawyers. The protocol is still intellectual property, and reverse engineering it may not be without consequences.

I don't believe it's possible to secure any sort of intellectual-property protection for a mere protocol. The usual way of protecting them, though, is to patent some essential feature needed to implement the protocol, which may or may not be the case here.
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