Howdy, perhaps you wise folks can help me think about this topic.

What are legal issues with reverse engineering proprietary software as an open source project, what are the boundaries when it is not ok anymore?

Sure I'm more interested in the case of cloning Max/MSP to Pd as in the cyclone library, but it's a generic topic anyhow that can be broadened.

But if we're to discuss this particular case, does Cycling hold the power to sue and prevent cyclone from being distributed?

It's not like their code is being used anyway, or some patented/proprietary algorithm is being "stolen". It's all about reverse engineering it and having same functionality as objects with the same name... and I don't think you can hold the rights to that.

Maybe if you were to clone the whole damn software exactly, and be able to save files in the max format and everything... then you'd be on to something... I think you'd cross the line with that one...

well, that's what I have for now, thanks

cheers