Make scripts open-source and you can avoid most of those legal concerns. From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chris Hofstader Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 10:18 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: Concern about the latest Window Eyes scripting move Most especially the lone hackers would have no chance to pay a legal team to defend a product defect case. If WE scripting became a big enough industry that a whole company could be based upon it they would probably need to create some kind of massively limited license (like those on most commercial software) and still be prepared to get slapped by lawyers here and abroad. cdh _____ From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dennis Brown Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 9:24 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: Concern about the latest Window Eyes scripting move Great point, Chris. The competition, especially if they can afford warranty-based software, would use it as a wedge against the product of those who cannot afford the potential legal costs. Thanks, Dennis Brown ----- Original Message ----- From: Chris Hofstader <mailto:chris.hofstader@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Doug Geoffray <mailto:geoffray@xxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 6:57 AM Subject: RE: Concern about the latest Window Eyes scripting move Having worked for GNU in the stone ages when we had to create the "No Warrantee" for our software, I should state that placing any kind of warrantee on a program from which one does not expect to generate a lot of income will be very difficult and possibly expensive. In some EU nations, some individuals have filed claims against all major screen readers for being defective products for their disproportionate number of bugs when compared to the mainstream software products. If a lone hacker places a warranty on his work, he can get screwed in the worst of ways which would be a huge reason not to make such scripts in the first place. Using the GNU "No Warranty" and allowing an informal review board to check the source and give an unofficial Good Housekeeping stamp would be the way to go. No one wants to increase exposure to the individuals just trying to do something cool and/or useful, in fact, to the contrary, we want to encourage people to build these kinds of scripts without the burden of lots of legal action. cdh From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Richard Thomas Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 3:54 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: Concern about the latest Window Eyes scripting move Ken: I agree with you you old guru. Besides the IML should be faster than scripts and what about a compiled language, faster still? GW is opening up Com Objects they define as the method of using the scripts so the interface should limit some potential problems. Also, Professionally developed Commercial scripts with a warranty would be the way to go for the applications I'd be interested in and what I would write if I can master the techniques. I know you are one of the JAWS Scripting gurus and look forward to your comments as GW gets rolling. Rick USA ----- Original Message ----- From: Ken Perry <mailto:whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 3:26 PM Subject: RE: Concern about the latest Window Eyes scripting move Well this is true depending on how they did it. For example they can limit the objects a person can use no matter the language so if I only allow you to use System and System.Windows.Forms then that is it. They most likely did not limit people so what will have to happen is people will either have to reject any scripts that are not open source or we will have to have a page to go to where tested and approved scripts are. I think this is going to cause other problems as well. It sounds great that you can code in any language but the problem with being able to code in anything is there will not be any one support for the scripting language. Think of how much trouble people are having coding Jaws scripts when they get started. Now they have added the decision of which language and made it so you don't have one unified group to help you access the objects they give you. True that if you know a language and know how to use com in that language it is a simple reading of the objects Window-eyes provides but most scripts are not wrote by professional coders they are wrote by people who need to be able to use a program that doesn't work. Now it will take more for these people to find support in what ever they choose to use if they can find support. It will be interesting to see how they support their scripting. If I was them I would say that GW micro as a whole supports VB and C# but you can code in anything. Then they should put up a page that takes just those two languages and supports them as well as they can. Further more they should force authors of the code to submit the code if they want the scripts on their page. This would allow people to still sell scripts they just couldn't have it up on GW's page. Ken From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Greer Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 11:55 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Concern about the latest Window Eyes scripting move Once I got over the initial shock and amazement at GWMicro's decision to make Window Eyes scriptable. Especially in such a powerful way as to let it be scriptable with many different scripting languages, I began to think. Would that not also open Window Eyes and Windows up to a whole new world of script based viruses? VBScript and Java Script are after all 2 of the languages that have that sort of power. It just concerns me a bit that in GWMicro's rush to become the top screen reader, that they may have actually open the flood gates a bit too wide. __________ NOD32 2849 (20080205) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com __________ NOD32 2849 (20080205) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com