ReactOS containing Windows code?

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SuperTrax
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ReactOS containing Windows code?

Post by SuperTrax »

When speaking of "windows code" hbirr didn't speak of source code!
Keep that in mind before writing!



Hi,

on CIA I've read a comment of harmut birr (hbirr) today, that he has removed his name from the hall of fame, because it seems to him that Windows code is used in ReactOS.

http://cia.navi.cx/stats/author/hbirr

Is it true?

I couldn't find any discussion about this in the mailing list archives, so didn't he talk to anybody about this?

This would make me very sad, since I like this project very much....

This would make ReactOS attackable by Microsoft...

Any comments?

Regards Mark
Last edited by SuperTrax on Wed Jan 18, 2006 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
temarez
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Post by temarez »

What particular parts of code are under suspicion?

Unfortunately, this news tells truth in part that says about removing Hartmut Birr's name :cry: Look here for example.
SuperTrax
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Post by SuperTrax »

That's exactly what I wanted to know... and if it is truth in any case...

Any statements of the devs about recent discussions regarding the topic?
GvG
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Post by GvG »

We've asked Hartmut to provide more details. We take this very seriously and are investigating
temarez
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Post by temarez »

Hartmut's leaving letter

Hartmut's suspicions

It's sad. Waiting for details.
jatos
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Post by jatos »

Not good news. I just wish the honest dev's luck in finding any dishonest dev's, and I wish them even more luck in removing and replacing any stolen code.
temarez
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Post by temarez »

I just think: why would developers decompile Windows binaries to include some code to ReactOS if there is WinNT4+Win2K sources available via P2P. I mean that if someone wanted to do it why didn't he used stolen sources? Reading source code is much easier then disassembling compiled one and trying to draw out the meaning of it.
w3seek
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Post by w3seek »

I do agree with Hartmut. Although I wouldn't believe him if he said he never ever used reverse engineering to get information. However, reverse engineering should not be used to clone something but rather to get enough information of how something works in order to implement it, and not to clone something almost instruction for instruction.
SuperTrax
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Post by SuperTrax »

Hm, I don't know for sure, but I think I've read a comment in a other
forum, that the leaked Win2k code wasn't complete.

Any claims in this state of investigation are wild guesses.

So let's just wait until we get a clear answer.

I'm quite sure the problem can and finally will be solved...
temarez
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Post by temarez »

SuperTrax wrote:Any claims in this state of investigation are wild guesses.

So let's just wait until we get a clear answer.
You are right. And IMHO w3seek says truth...
SuperTrax wrote:I'm quite sure the problem can and finally will be solved...
Hope so.
Ged
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Post by Ged »

Before anyone jumps to any conclusion, can we just clear up that this is nothing to do with the leaked Windows source code.

'If' the allegations are true, it's likely it's down to reverse engineering some part of Windows to better understand how it works, and too much of that derrived asm finding it's way into ROS.

x86 instructions are limited, and sometimes (apart from altering registers) there is only 1 reasonable way to do something for a small chunk of code.

As I said, please don't jump to any conclusion, and don't automatically assume ReactOS is full of Windows assembly.
cmoibenlepro
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Post by cmoibenlepro »

Will reactos development be stopped indefinitly because of this?
Dr. Fred
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Post by Dr. Fred »

Can someone tell me something ? Is it illegal to use assembly from windows to write a c-function that does exectly the same ? I'd say that using the asm directly is a copyright violention but doing that is not.
Last edited by Dr. Fred on Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Where do you want ReactOS to go today ?
GaeTaN
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Post by GaeTaN »

Dr. Fred wrote:Can someone tell me something ? Is it illegal to use assembly from windows to write a c-function that does exectly the same.
Well, if you don't put the ASM code directly in your code, there's no problem ;) If what you all are doing is to convert the ASM code in C-equivalent code, I don't really think there is a problem, as it's your code now ;)
BTW, who is this guy that claimed there was use of Windows code in ROS ? He was a developper ?
Someone should talk to him...
Ged
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Post by Ged »

GaeTaN wrote: BTW, who is this guy that claimed there was use of Windows code in ROS ? He was a developper ?
Harmut Birr. One of the earliest and most respected developers.
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