Subject:
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Re: RIS version 1.5 coming this fall
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 29 Jul 1999 15:33:26 GMT
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Viewed:
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855 times
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In lugnet.robotics, Kekoa Proudfoot writes:
> Todd Lehman <lehman@javanet.com> wrote:
<snip! snip!! snip!!!>
> > Perhaps not 100% literally, but suppose that in order to download new
> > firmware to RCX 1.5, the host software communicating to the RCX via IR had
> > to supply a lengthy password. That would certainly be very easy for TLG
> > to implement, yes?
> >
> > But then what? Well, then if anyone tries to ship a third-party add-on to
> > download new replacement firmware, they're now committing an alleged act of
> > copyright infringement because they've shipped a copy of this proprietary
> > copyrighted password/encryption bitstring.
>
> I believe something like this is possible. But why would TLG do this? Are
> there other concerns so deep that they want to limit what half (was that
> the figure?) their potential buyers might do with their product? I find it
> somewhat possible that the next RCX will be as easy to crack as the current
> one, so that TLG can try to take advantage of the same enthusiasm that
> raged (rages?) on with the current RCX.
They already do this. Doesn't part of the process of downloading new firmware
involve sending a five byte sequence of the word LEGO followed by a registered
trademark symbol? Technically, they could probably sue anyone else who sends
this particular string to an RCX. (Whether they would win is another story,
but often moot in the wilderness of corporate law.)
> > Am I just over-reacting?
>
> I think so. But maybe not unjustifyably.
I wouldn't worry too much. It's been what, less than a year since the
Mindstorms debut? It's probably the same or similar RCX hardware, (almost
certainly the same processor family) and the same sensors. I would expect RIS
1.5 to be a software update and maybe a different set of sensors in the base
kit. Hopefully they won't make any gratuitous changes to the ROMware if it's
otherwise the same old RCX.
<wild speculation>
If TLG has been listening on LUGNET, then RCX 1.5 will have a 500 MHz
processor, 1 Gig of RAM, 64 sensor inputs and motor outputs, all powered off
of a 30-year rechargeable battery, and RIS will include a pair of color CCD
cameras as sensors. Oh, and they'll include a new mental telepathy
programming language. And of course, a list price of $4.95...
</wild speculation>
If the new product is radically different and better then it will be worth the
effort to reverse engineer. If it isn't better then they probably won't sell
very many of them. Unless TLG is completely out of touch with the
demographics (and spending power) of Mindstorms' AFOL-heavy customer base then
they are likely to provide _better_ support in the future for those of us who
demand more sophisticated programming tools for the RCX.
I'm hoping for the same hardware and ROMware, but better host computer tools,
including a REAL compiler.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: RIS version 1.5 coming this fall
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| (...) Don't forget everlasting, non-toxic neuclear power, and the ability to fly. Besides from that it will be water proof and unsinkable. It will be able to read your e-mail loud to you, and answer your phone - speaking intelligent to the caller - (...) (25 years ago, 1-Aug-99, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: RIS version 1.5 coming this fall
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| (...) It has to be reversible from the RCX brick's point of view, since there is no hardware on the RCX to forcibly reprogram its ROM. Perhaps on the PC side it is not reversible, but there is always the uninstall new, reinstall old process, which I (...) (25 years ago, 29-Jul-99, to lugnet.robotics)
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