Is it legal to use decompilers?

[WarDemon666]

If I do this just for the sake of learning, is it illegal?

If its not, could someone give me some tips to learn?

Thanks

 

[n0cmonkey]

It's possibly illegal in the US, thanks to the DMCA.

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It's possibly illegal in the US, thanks to the DMCA.

It also depends on the license agreement, although in most cases software that allows you to decompile will in fact be open source and provide you with the code anyway.

 

[WarDemon666]

Thx

 

[notfred]

It's legal to use on your own code or open source software. It's probably not leagal for most commercial software.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Yea if you're using it on something that's not open source or that you didn't pay to get the code for... probably illegal. And decompiling something that's OS would be kinda dumb.

 

[mattg1981]

I am decompiling code currently in school ... taking it from hex code anad spitting out the appropriate code associated with it. Of course, it is the MIPS assembly language which is all but dead and my professors own code.

 

[DT4K]

Most EULA's will specifically state that you cannot decompile or attempt to reverse engineer the software.

 

[imported_jediknight]

As long as it's not for piracy, it probably is legal.

Edit: Unless you live in the USA and it violates the DMCA..

 

[WarDemon666]

thx

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Yea if you're using it on something that's not open source or that you didn't pay to get the code for... probably illegal. And decompiling something that's OS would be kinda dumb.

I think it might be interresting to look at the differences between the code in original form and the decompiled form.

 

[mundane]

I've used it with Java before to satisfy my personal curiousity.

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Yea if you're using it on something that's not open source or that you didn't pay to get the code for... probably illegal. And decompiling something that's OS would be kinda dumb.

I think it might be interresting to look at the differences between the code in original form and the decompiled form.

Decompilers (that I have seen) dont spit out statments like
if(cat != dog){
dog.eatcat(cat);
}

instead they mix in the Call 0x173924 EAX e2 ect.. statments. Much harder to read decompiled code then origional IMO.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Cogman

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Yea if you're using it on something that's not open source or that you didn't pay to get the code for... probably illegal. And decompiling something that's OS would be kinda dumb.

I think it might be interresting to look at the differences between the code in original form and the decompiled form.

Decompilers (that I have seen) dont spit out statments like
if(cat != dog){
dog.eatcat(cat);
}

instead they mix in the Call 0x173924 EAX e2 ect.. statments. Much harder to read decompiled code then origional IMO.

I understand, but I was still thinking it would be interresting to take a look at and compare.

 

[TerryMathews]

Decompiling into ASM is the way to go; problem is, you actually have to understand assembly.

 

[WarDemon666]

yeah its pretty hard, im making some programs in VB and trying to decompile them, its fun, but damn hard

 

[WarDemon666]

Anyone have the ability to teach me?