Field Services: Making Money Software

Raising money for a hackable, open hardware-based USB protocol analyzer

Cory Doctorow at 8:41 AM Friday, Nov 26, 2010

A stellar pair of reverse engineers, bushing and pytey from iPhone DevTeam/Team Twiizers, have launched a Kickstarter fundraiser to back OpenVizsla, a open/hackable hardware-based USB protocol analyzer. They've got my support -- this work will continue to enable free/open drivers for everything from iPods to 3G modems, and allow indie software developers to continue making tools that interact with our hardware:

USB has a standard, published interface that is properly described (at great length) but the actual protocols for connected devices are not common and are often proprietary to the individual vendors or manufacturers. USB succeeded at eliminating most strange cables, but requires custom drivers for many types of hardware.

Often, these USB protocols are intentionally obfuscated to make them confusing and complex in order to attempt to restrict support to the original manufacturer of the device. In this case the USB packets themselves hold the key to the information that is necessary to write independent third party drivers.

Protocol analysis and reverse engineering is needed to create such drivers and these tasks rely on the real-time capture of USB traffic. Software-based analyzers are available, but only useful in certain limited applications.

Hardware based protocol analyzers are expensive and are usually out of the reach of most independent developers, hobbyists and hackers. The most popular products cost $1400+ and, with few exceptions, use proprietary Windows-only client software, proprietary protocols, and proprietary data formats that are hard to export for use with other software.

OpenVizsla will be a completely open design of a device that can capture USB 1.1/2.0 (high-speed, full-speed and low-speed) traffic passively between a target USB device and the connected host (usually a PC, but potentially anything that has a USB host port -- think Xbox 360 and PS3). It will be controlled by any computer using open-source client software or potentially in standalone mode (where captured traffic is stored onto an on-board SD card).

"OpenVizsla" Open Source USB Protocol Analyzer

Microsoft isn’t letting go of a patent case that challenges the company’s right to sell Microsoft Word in the United States.

Last year, a judge ruled that then-available (and even future) versions of Microsoft Word infringed on patents held by little-known software company i4i — the patents dealt with the separation of content and XML code. The judge ordered an injunction that would have prevented the larger company from selling Word in the U.S.

The court also awarded i4i $300 million in damages.

Microsoft appealed the ruling and made a minor tweak to Word to skirt the injunction. The software giant didn’t pay any of those damages, either.

Instead, the appeals process has gone all the way to the top. Microsoft will argue to the Supreme Court that traditional patent laws are too demanding when it comes to software cases.

It’s easy to downplay Microsoft’s appeal as the money-grubbing antics of a Goliath; however, when considering the phenomenon of patent trolling and frivolous patent suits in the world of software, doesn’t Microsoft’s point make a bit of sense, too?

Right now, a judge in a patent case will start with the presumption that the patent is valid. The person or entity allegedly infringing on the patent must provide clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

However, Microsoft argues that perhaps patent validity and enforceability should be more malleable in the world of software, where every “innovation” is built on the work of many unrelated others, and total strangers are often struck with the same idea at the same time. Perhaps the burden of proof shouldn’t be so disproportionately distributed.

Meanwhile, Apple and class='blippr-nobr'>Googleclass="blippr-nobr">Google are siding with Microsoft on this point. All three big companies see patent suits with just about every major product or feature release — and many times, the companies settle quietly out of court. Microsoft’s Word troubles would likely be over in a hurry if the company chose to sit down at a table with i4i and a checkbook, but the company is apparently more interested in making a point.

What do you think about this particular case? Is Microsoft the bad guy here, or is the issue more complicated? Time — and the opinions of the Supreme Court justices — will tell. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Image courtesy of class='blippr-nobr'>Flickrclass="blippr-nobr">Flickr, kenmccown.

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