From: Nix <nix_at_esperi.org.uk>
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 20:46:18 +0000

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003, Fred Maxwell muttered drunkenly:
>> In which countries can you use that act... :-)
>
> The United States -- where the majority of Archos units have been sold. ;-)

But Archos is a French company, subject to French law, and the original
poster was posting from an Israeli address.

So I'm puzzled: why is US law remotely relevant? I could as easily cite
UK law, or Chinese law, or the law of the Republic of Bongo, and it
would be the same amount of help to the original poster: none at all.

>> Archos could claim that the scramble of the code is to
>> prevent people from using uncertified software.
>
> And Volvo could claim that they used non-standard sized oil filters to
> prevent people from using "uncertified" oil filters. Would that mean that
> they could refuse to perform warranty service because you used an
> aftermarket filter?

viz the recent printer cartridge case.

>> I don't think Archos has any hidden flashed functions that
>> they can use for debugging a unit,

They have...

>> but if they have and you
>> removed them

... and Joerg spotted them, and they're in (e.g.) the FMR V1 ROM's boot
ROM (not in Flash), so they've not been zapped (and are indeed
impossible to zap from software).

-- 
`We would attempt a witticism, but mere English language comedy is as
dust once you have read the study of Hecke rings in chapter 2.'
                              --- `Verity Stob' on the Wiles proof

Received on 2003-11-29