Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Hacking USR ROMS  [4.2 - 4.1]
From: Adam.Frix@p18.f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix)
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 92 23:40:19 EST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:226/20.18 - cmhGate UF Gateway, Columbus OH

goyal@utdallas.edu (Mohit K. Goyal) writes:

MKG> >  I have just purchased a USR Sportster and I was wondering if there
MKG> is any way to hack the ROM code in the Supervisor 4.2 that would
MKG> return it to the 4.1 configuration and enable the modem to operate as
MKG> a 16.8 Dual Standard. 
MKG> >
MKG> >					Thank You  Andrew Haigh
MKG> >						   ahaigh@unixg.ubc.ca
MKG> 
MKG> This is HIGHLY illegal!!!!  Why I think people who purchased a
MKG> Sportster
MKG> for what it is, an inexpensive v.32bis modem, and had v4.1 ROMS were
MKG> just
MKG> lucky, I think it is extremely wrong on your part to buy a Sportster 
MKG> expressly for the purpose of using it as a DS.
MKG>

now, hold on a minute.  Illegal?  That's a strong word to be throwing around.

What the poster wants to know is, can the end user poke a couple bytes into
the modem's RAM, where the operating system is, to enable HST features in a
manner similar to the ATGW command available in the 4.1 ROMs.

This is not illegal.  Period.  Nor is it warranty-voiding.  Period.  Nor is it
fattening, immoral, etc.

I think it's VERY right for someone to want a modem with such a built-in
functionality that's available to the user.  You seem to be suffering from
this idea that because USR goofed and released thousands of these things to
the open market, and because USR didn't mean for that functionality to be
available, that somehow it's ILLEGAL (?) to activate that functionality?

Looks like USR screwed up, and there's nothing illegal, impractical, or
immoral about taking advantage of that.  They sell it to me, I use it.  What
would you say if USR accidentally allowed full Dual Standard functionality out
of the box, without even forcing the user to poke those two bytes into RAM? 
What if the Sportster in question said Options: HST,v32 in its ATI7 screen? 
Would you say it's **illegal** (geez, there's that strong word again) to use
that modem, simply because USR didn't mean for their manufacturing line to
screw up like that?

It's there.  It's built in to the (4.1 ROM) modems that USR sold.  Why in the
world is it wrong or illegal for the end user to take advantage of that
functionality?

Now, if the user wants to illegally copy USR ROM code and burn his own 4.1 or
Dual Standard ROMs, that's another story.  That's illegal.  Period.

Get off this bandwagon of trying to run other people's lives.  You win some,
you lose some.  Owners of Sportsters w/4.1 ROMs won one.  And no laws of any
kind were broken.  Just because it upsets USR to have Sportster owners out
there having Dual Standard modems without having paid what USR wishes, doesn't
mean a damn thing.

The minute life becomes fair, I'll ring you.  Until then, I suggest you live a
sterile life and never take advantage of anything that comes your way.  After
all, we're all created equal, and no one is better than anyone else, or
smarter, or...

--Adam--
 
--  
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