Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering is the concept of seeing how something works after it has already been created by someone else. You are basically copying something that you already know. For example, if you take apart an electronic device such as a CD player, then constructing a smiliar one from the same components, this is reverse engineering. In the case of the movie, Compaq took apart IBM's computer to see how it worked, then created a replica of their own.

Legally, some forms of reverse engineering are ok. However, reverse engineering often violates copyright laws. Some software specifically makes reverse engineering illegaly in their liscensed use laws. However, in many cases, reverse engineering is legal and seen as a way of discovery and inspration of ideas. In is seen as a way to advance technology, rather than just steal and duplicate. For instance, congress has protected reverse engineering in some cases when inventing chips- by re-making and figuring out how old chips work, people can invent new ones that are even better. The line is a bit different with software and hardware, but there is not a clear answer to the legality of reverse engineering.


http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci507015,00.html
http://www.chillingeffects.org/reverse/faq.cgi#QID195