Seems quite clear that security throught obscurity is a bad idea. But if you take into account some social parameters (for example proportion of guys able to hack a binary executable compared to the proportion of guys able to hack a.c file) things are not so clear anymore.
Anyway, I've always been amazed by what smart protocoles and public key crypto can do. Can someone give a precise example of something in Quake 1 that can't be secured with an elegant protocole ? (maybe this is obvious, don't be too rude:))
What is particularly amazing is the power patents give you. You can, by "magic words" written on a piece of paper, prevent anybody in the next 50 years, anywhere on the planet, to use the same idea, just because he has it 5s later than you. Or because he does not even know patents exist. As a friend said, Merlin himself would have been amazed such a power could be possible.
I wonder too. In France, having a patent implies that a "recherche d'antériorité" has been done. It's a kind of research in archives to check if your idea haven't already been patented and/or discribed. This research is done by the administration, and ensures you your idea can be patented (actually it costs money).
In the US, it seems that the patent just proves that you had the idea at the time you get the patent. So in a court, you will be able to use this as a fact to defend you right for money, but it does not ensure you will win if someone else claims for anteriority.
In my opinion, the US system gives more strengh to the guys with a-lot-of-lawyers. You will never go to a court if you are alone with no money.
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So much money to earn in courts :) I wish I was a lawyer :)
Anyway, I've always been amazed by what smart protocoles and public key crypto can do. Can someone give a precise example of something in Quake 1 that can't be secured with an elegant protocole ? (maybe this is obvious, don't be too rude :))
What is particularly amazing is the power patents give you. You can, by "magic words" written on a piece of paper, prevent anybody in the next 50 years, anywhere on the planet, to use the same idea, just because he has it 5s later than you. Or because he does not even know patents exist. As a friend said, Merlin himself would have been amazed such a power could be possible.
What on earth are the US patent office doing?
I wonder too. In France, having a patent implies that a "recherche d'antériorité" has been done. It's a kind of research in archives to check if your idea haven't already been patented and/or discribed. This research is done by the administration, and ensures you your idea can be patented (actually it costs money).
In the US, it seems that the patent just proves that you had the idea at the time you get the patent. So in a court, you will be able to use this as a fact to defend you right for money, but it does not ensure you will win if someone else claims for anteriority.
In my opinion, the US system gives more strengh to the guys with a-lot-of-lawyers. You will never go to a court if you are alone with no money.
Kind of paradoxal. minors aren't affected by EULA's, then why would they care about this restriction we are talking about ? :)