[misc.legal] Point of law: need to prove that stolen code was used

shields@yunccn.UUCP (Paul Shields) (03/16/90)

I need to prove that an 8086 executable program currently being marketed
in North America was derived from stolen code.  The original software
was written in 8086 assembler for the IBM PC.  The version on the market
has been modified somewhat by the thief. 

A case is being built right now, but the original author has limited
resources with which to prosecute, so has given me permission to pursue
this course of action.  I'm looking for any information that might help
the case. 

Some ideas:
    - legal precedents/documents, Canadian and U.S. law;
    - expert witnesses: professional 8086 programmers, researchers in
           string comparison, etc.;
    - unassembler software, to convert the binary to human-readable form;
    - software that will perform a binary diff, to show the similarity
           between the original and derivative;
    - anything else that could help.

If you know of anything or anyone who can help, please contact me, by
E-mail at the address at the end of this message.  Otherwise, try
surface mail:

    Paul Shields
    4 Jason Street
    Concord, Ontario
    L4K 3A1
    Canada

I am sorry that I cannot give more details about the case at this time,
but as this is likely to be of considerable interest, promise to let the
Usenet community know about further developments. 


Thank you in advance,
-- 
Paul Shields, shields@nccn.yorku.ca  (..!uunet!yunccn!shields)