Quote:
Originally Posted by KRAM36
Did JD win that case? What were farmers doing that prompted this, adding blowers to their tractors?
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DMCA is a vast 1998 copyright law that (among other things) governs the line between software and hardware.
The Copyright Office has been asked to decide what modifications, hacks, and repairs are allowed under the law. They have to hold hearings and solicit comments and word is that they will make a decision (issue guidelines) by July.
Several manufacturers (including John Deere and General Motors) recently submitted comments as part of this process.
JD argued that allowing people to alter the software—even for the purpose of repair—would “make it possible for pirates, third-party developers, and less innovative competitors to free-ride off the creativity, unique expression and ingenuity of vehicle software.”
Now, you have to understand, JD is not literally saying that owners can't repair their tractors. But JD is saying that owners shouldn't be allowed to go into John Deere's software and make changes even if it is to perform a repair.
The question is whether changing software in a vehicle would be considered a modification or a repair and whether either of those would be allowed under the law.
IMHO this law has been misused. The original intent was to shut down illegal use of someone else's software IP, but the meaning has been expanded repeatedly by the courts to cover all kinds of crazy concepts like this one.