^C

Sat Apr 1 00:00:00 GMT 2000

> > Sorry for interrupting this hot conversation. But
> > I have a question. Does implementing the AWT or Swing
> > using the published JavaDoc documentation in Java
> > or other language violates any copyright?
> >
>> I sure as hell hope not, or otherwise how are you going to know what to
> implement? Actually, I was reading on Slashdot the other day that under
> European Law it's legal to reverse engineering software in order to make
> your software 'compatible'.

At least for French laws (euro-patents and related stuff are under
discussions at the moment), you may decompile code for your own use,
provided you do not copy it.
Softwares are protected under it's author's copyright, which means that the
code is protected from public reproduction.
However, there's nothing that prevents you from reverse engineering, as long
as you do not use the reversed code.
"Public reproduction" also means that you still can use decompiled code for
your own usage, provided you do not sell or spread the programme you wrote
with it (but who wants to copy/paste decompiled code anyway ?)
So yes, you can reverse-engineer code in order to have your software running
properly with a third-party package...
Please note that the above is what remains from my studies so it might not
be up to date ;-)
To answer the original question : at least in Europe, you can use Java specs
for implementing the JDK and the Swing thing ;-)
Best Regards to everyone
(I've been spying you for ages through this mailing list without being
noticed yet ;-))
Denis Balazuc