AVR-Chat

The STK500 schematics are available for anyone to review.  The MKII 
looks pretty complicated.  I looked it over just yesterday. For the 
price I would not bother to try and make my own.

Al


--- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, "arhodes19044" <spamiam@c...> wrote:
> --- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, "Graham Davies" <YahooGroups@e...> 
> wrote:
> > --- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, Brian Dean <bsd@b...> wrote:
> > 
> > > ... do you plan to do [an inexpensive
> > > JTAG device] that supports the JTAGICE
> > > MkII protocol?
> > 
> > No, I'm afraid I don't. There are several reasons. One is that my 
> > personal circumstances have changed and I no longer have time for 
> new 
> > product development. Also, I can't see any way to do this without 
> > buying the Atmel unit and reverse engineering it. Maybe someone 
> who is 
> > less squeamish about intellectual rights will do this.
> > 
> > Graham.
> 
> Hmmm, well, I would think that "reverse engineering"  would be 
> reproducing the output for each possible input, treating the 
> original device as a "black box".  
> 
> But when you open the box and examine the contents and reproduce 
> them, then that is "copying".  
> 
> I think "reverse engineering" without cheating and looking at the 
> working parts inside is fair and legal.  "Copying" is not.
> 
> You could get into hot water if you accidentally create a device 
> that is so good that it looks copied.
> 
> Sometimes there is really only one way to skin the cat, and when 
you 
> end up with the same solution, then it is just good engineering.  
No 
> one owns good engineering.  But you might have to prove it in court.
> 
> Keeping notes in a dated notebook would be very useful in court.  
> Also useful to record your thoughts and sketches/diagrams along the 
> way.  I always loved those lab books with horizontal and vertical 
> lines.  I have to get me some more of those.
> 
> Right now I am reverse engineering a rally computer.  Copying is 
not 
> at all an issue here because the basic hardware is so different.  
> The original is Z-80 and mine is AVR.  The original was programmed 
> in ASM, and I am doing it in C.
> 
> So all I am really reproducing is the look and feel.  This is hard 
> to pursue legally.   Not that it would ever come to that.  I do not 
> plan on selling these things, and I already spoke with the 
> designer/manufacturer of the original and he had no problems with 
my 
> project.  Especially since I told him I would give him anything I 
> developed if he wanted it.
> 
> -Tony
> 
> -Tony