[AT] OT modern computer controlls

Spencer Yost yostsw at atis.net
Wed Mar 22 18:06:32 PDT 2017


This is a losing battle, as I know a little something about the subject. I suspect they're actually using encrypted communication channel, and dealers have the key. While they probably are not making the algorithm widely known  that is not actually what they're protecting. They are protecting the keys for the encryption.   The hackers are probably finding a way around the encryption, or they have simply cracked it with brute force.  This is  defensible by John Deere, and I believe that hackers will lose.

It should be noted that as a practice  algorithms are easy to file as a copyright or patent, but are hard to defend.  See Alice vs CLS Bank.

Consumers and John Deere will remain locked in battle for years.  In the end I suspect consumers will lose.

Another reason to use antique tractors :-)

Spencer Yost



Spencer Yost
> On Mar 22, 2017, at 8:41 PM, Thomas Mehrkam <tmehrkam at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> 
> They should be required to make the tools available at a "reasonable cost".  There are already laws guaranteeing owners the right to repair their cars.  If you want access to the dealer documentation or tools you have to purchase them.
> Of course what is reasonable to a third party repair facility is usually not reasonable for an individual.  That is why many third party scan tools can only decode the standard codes and functionality required by law and do not have access to dealer codes. 
> 
> 
>     From: Dave <rotigel at me.com>
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com> 
> Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 5:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [AT] OT modern computer controlls
> 
> Like it, or not, the algorithms are the property (work) of someone other than anyone on this list, and owned by that person (or the company that employ them). As such the owner SHOULD have the right to give/rent/ sell them as they wish!
>    Dave
> 
>> On Mar 22, 2017, at 5:00 PM, rlgoss at twc.com wrote:
>> 
>> Uhh, yeah.  The algorithms for the electronic communication (among other things) with those devices are copyrighted and a typical application has to go through that firewall and pay for the privilege.  One of the things of that nature that has been with us for years is full-fledged PDF format.  Everyone has been using it for years as the default format for items on the Internet, and there are lots of programs out there that will give the appearance of following its rules, but an APP that does it all the right way has to go through Adobe, one way or another. That's just one example.  The codes for communicating with the electronics of a motor vehicle are similar, and are patented.  A former colleague holds the patent on the algorithm that allows communication between a number of dissimilar devices that used to need special "black boxes" in order to communicate or had to be hard-wired together. Those are no longer required because of his invention.  Like it or not, we end up!
>  p!
>> aying such royalties.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Larry
>> .---- Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote: 
>>> Copyright?? Wow that's a stretch. So if your equipment goes down, you 
>>> are at the mercy of the dealership as to when and how it gets fixed? I 
>>> see a boom in used machinery.
>>> 
>>> Mike M
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On 3/22/2017 2:20 PM, Don wrote:
>>>> I read this morning that John Deere is going after some eastern European
>>>> hackers who are distributing hacked software to allow users to fix their
>>>> own tractors.  The article indicated that if someone other than the
>>>> dealer were to replace say a transmission it is necessary to call out a
>>>> John Deere tech for several hundred dollars to spend a couple of minutes
>>>> with a computer to make things work.  Many companies such as John Deere
>>>> and GM are hiding under the DCMA to prevent users from repairing their
>>>> own equipment.
>>>> 
>>>> John Deere and many others are fighting "Right to Repair" laws all over
>>>> the country.  These laws would require manufacturers such as John Deere,
>>>> Sony, Apple to provide tools, parts, and documentation to allow people
>>>> to repair their own equipment.boom
>>> 
>>> 
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