Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by lliamander 2190 days ago
Why not just send copy written code as part of the payload?
1 comments
ATsch 2190 days ago
Especially trademark violations are very effective for this. For example the original GameBoy used it as DRM. The cartridge had to contain a Nintendo(R) logo which was displayed on boot to work, a legal deterrent for publishing unlicensed games that still works to this day.
link
sanqui 2190 days ago
Except that the use of copyrighted and trademarked data for means of enabling interoperability has been ruled fair use in the Sega v. Accolade[1] case. So I believe Nintendo's use of the logo in this way is not much more than snake oil.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_v._Accolade

link
timClicks 2189 days ago
Gentle reminder that the USA isn't the only jurisdiction. In countries without fair use, for example, this wouldn't even be able to be applied.
link
telotortium 2190 days ago
That case was decided after the initial release of the Game Boy, so it wasn't an unreasonable thing to try at the time.
link
taneq 2190 days ago
The TrackIR API does something similar to lock out unauthorised third party client applications.
link