The notion that unlocking something that's already in the scope you bought is "stealing" is frankly hilarious and not really worth the energy behind a serious response...
I write software for a living, I can't agree with you, I want to get paid for writing commercial software.
I think we shall all agree to disagree and carry on, this topic is a flame buster.
The software is already on the scope. I'm well within my rights to "steal" what I have already bought, screw your paycheck. If you want to get paid separately for it, don't give it to me with my scope and try to hide it away.
QuoteThe software is already on the scope. I'm well within my rights to "steal" what I have already bought, screw your paycheck. If you want to get paid separately for it, don't give it to me with my scope and try to hide it away.Uhh, you haven't already "bought it." You wouldn't have to illegally unlock it, if you had paid for it. They sell that version, too, but you didn't want to actually pay for it.
Well, I'm likening Rigol to Compaq and Dell because those two companies were disruptors who stole the PC business from IBM. Compaq created and sold the first ever PC Compatibles (IBM didn't think to pay to exclusively license DOS from MS, and Compaq clean-room reverse engineered their BIOS, if memory serves, and most everything else was off the shelf), and very quickly started selling better/faster computers than IBM themselves were. And Dell stacked 'em high and sold 'em cheap. There was a _long_ time during which "Business Computer" meant "IBM" for many companies, just like HP/Agilent/WhateverItIsThisMonth, Tek, etc. They seemed unassailable. They were not.
The reason most people would need certain features is because combined with their $80,000 education it gives them the ability to make money at their 6 figure job/company. And hacking it illegally would create a liability. If you need $1500 features and you can't afford it, then you might be an idiot.
And the whole argument that there would be no cheap scopes if there weren't unlockable features is frankly laughable. How many people actually shell out for the extras?
And since I think the "everything is an optional extra" school of business is fucking stupid, I'm not going to support it by spending money on it.
I write software for a living, I can't agree with you, I want to get paid for writing commercial software.
It's easier to make that argument for the frequency unlock, which is very obviously handicapping a device for the sole purposes of market segmentation and future revenue stream. It's clever, effective, but it feels a bit skeevy. Charging for decoding modules and other software features is a different matter, you're adding functionality, not just de-restricting.
I happily disagree with you. The decoding modules are, like the frequency capabilities, already there, they are just turned off without the correct key. I don't see that being different from the frequency unlock.
Of course, Keysight doesn't encourage, support, or aid "hacking" our scopes. But, don't try to by a cheap scope, hack it, and sell it as an upgraded scope. In my personal opinion, that's when it becomes stealing.
There's some interesting legislation on this in the USA, mostly around unlocking cell phones.
Of course, Keysight doesn't encourage, support, or aid "hacking" our scopes. But, don't try to by a cheap scope, hack it, and sell it as an upgraded scope. In my personal opinion, that's when it becomes stealing.
There's some interesting legislation on this in the USA, mostly around unlocking cell phones.
US law is also different to European law as to how it treats software. As an end user, if you buy some software then you're pretty much just buying a right-to-use license as stipulated in EULAs and similar licensing conditions. In the EU, software sales in general are treated as sales of goods, i.e. you "own" the copy of your software and are free to do with it as you please as long as it doesn't violate other laws (i.e. copyright, which of course remains with the rights holder).
There's some interesting legislation on this in the USA, mostly around unlocking cell phones.
US law is also different to European law as to how it treats software. As an end user, if you buy some software then you're pretty much just buying a right-to-use license as stipulated in EULAs and similar licensing conditions. In the EU, software sales in general are treated as sales of goods, i.e. you "own" the copy of your software and are free to do with it as you please as long as it doesn't violate other laws (i.e. copyright, which of course remains with the rights holder).Can you cite a reputable reference for this? Something from the EC.
QuoteOf course, Keysight doesn't encourage, support, or aid "hacking" our scopes. But, don't try to by a cheap scope, hack it, and sell it as an upgraded scope. In my personal opinion, that's when it becomes stealing.
I agree, and I'd go as far as saying that hacking should be limited to non-commercial use only.
However, I also have to say that I think the manufacturers like Keysight carry a large part of blame for the increase in hacking, which could have easily avoided by offering cheap genuine licenses without any support for non-commercial use, and by offering a way for owners of obsolete kit to unlock the once locked features (which in most cases are obsolete technology anyways) for little money or even for free.
It's a real shame that other manufacturers (like Keysight) can't offer something similar for their obsolete kit.
The notion that unlocking something that's already in the scope you bought is "stealing" is frankly hilarious and not really worth the energy behind a serious response...
I write software for a living, I can't agree with you, I want to get paid for writing commercial software.
I think we shall all agree to disagree and carry on, this topic is a flame buster.
I'm not calling you an idiot. Those features have a cost. And you are not paying for them by buying the base unit and hacking it. Therefore it is theft. The only reason you can buy your scope at the price you paid IS because other people are buying the top end stuff at a premium. And ACTUALLY PAYING FOR IT.
Pretty much the only manufacturer I'm aware of that has done something like that is LeCroy. If you own any of their old high-end scopes (9300 Series, LC Series) then you can get the GALs that unlock all the advanced functionality in these scopes for $40 or so (or just download the images and burn the GALs yourself), with full approval from LeCroy.
It's a real shame that other manufacturers (like Keysight) can't offer something similar for their obsolete kit.
I write software for a living, I can't agree with you, I want to get paid for writing commercial software.You got paid when you wrote the software for the high end device. The way the company finances that and how it reflects on its customers doesn't directly affect you.