Python obfuscation

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 08:11:32 -0800, petantik wrote:
 
> the argument that most people buy software rather than get a pirated
> version depends on the country  that they are in e.g. china's piracy
> problem where shops sell pirated software with no retribution by the
> state - remember china is about to be the worlds largest economic
> superpower
> 
> The above problem illustrate why code needs to be protected in an
> effective way, by law and code protection schemes

I'm sorry, what problem? You haven't actually stated a problem -- in fact,
you have just given a perfect example of why the so-called "problem" is
not a problem at all. Let us see:

Historically, the UK had no concept of intellectual property rights until
very recently, and even when it was introduced, it was very limited until
the late 20th century.

Likewise for continental Europe.

Nevertheless, the UK and Europe became economic superpowers.

The USA, like China and Russia today, was a pirate nation for the first
century or two of its existence. American publishers simply reprinted
English books without paying royalties until well into the 20th century.
Hollywood got its start by fleeing the east coast to California, where
enforcement of Thomas Edison's patents on motion picture technology was
not enforced.

The USA has become an economic superpower.

China has little effective protection for artificial monopoly rights over
ideas. China is becoming an economic superpower.

So where is the problem?

Ah, now I understand it. Having become rich and powerful by ignoring
so-called intellectual property, the UK, Europe and especially the USA is
desperate to ensure that the developing world does not also become rich
and powerful. One way of doing so is to force a system of artificial
government-granted monopolies, together with all the proven economic
inefficiencies of such monopolies, on the developing world.


 
-- 
Steven.