After Accolade: time for new laws? (reverse engineering)

The debate concerning reverse engineering, decompilation and intermediate copying of software is reviewed. The effects of the Sega Enterprises vs. Accolade court case on this debate are discussed. It is argued that if computer professionals want to ensure that they will be able to continue to work in an environment that promotes innovation and the sharing of ideas, they must demand clear and well-thought-out intellectual-property laws for software and a judicial system capable of handling complex technical cases. They must also take an active role in the development of the laws under which they must work. Representative arguments from both side of the issue are presented in the form of selected quotes.<>