ECU Tuning as per Down Under

[Chris Pronios]

Peter, I think you put way too much burden on the daugtherboards issue at
this point.

What I can definitely say for now is that:

1. We are talking about engine-tuning here. Using someone else's map is the
same as noting what type of jets someone used in his carburetors and using
the same. Or like noting what tires and at what pressure they run and
copying their setup. Do not let the fact that the maps are in digital form
confuse you. It is still engine-tuning, not copying Microsoft's last program
and using it for your business.

2. As stated many times now, this has been done for ages in other parts of
the world. Most of all, it has been done in the Nissan homeland, Japan. Most
racecar tuners there offer their version of tuned ECUs by doing exactly what
the DIYer can do. It is exactly this fact that lets Nissan sell as many
Silvias or whatever they can sell to avid Japanese Nissan-ers. I highly
doubt they will soon go after the tuners for using copyrighted material.
After all, ALL the tuners using the stock ECU as a base start with the
Nissan base maps and then modify.If this applied they would be using
copyrighted material (as per Software industry notions).

3. Once more: I strongly believe that any reputable tuning company like JWT
has a lot more to offer to the SE-R community than a couple of nice maps. We
will never know the workings of the actual code like Clark knows it! Never!
He will always have an edge and if they believe it is detrimental for their
business I am sure they can always "hack" any new ECU so we cannot know
exactly where to look.

4. Finally, if the maps are what you think is copyrighted material, anyone
who wants bad enough to have JWT maps can do it WITHOUT copying the ROM. All
you need is a Consult like tool (or software) with logging abilities and you
follow the "clean-room" approach followed by the S/W industry to
legitimately recreate SW program with identical functionality with another.

Fuel maps are actually values that dictate the ON-TIME of the injectors
based on AFM readings and RPM. So, log what the actual ON-TIME in mseconds
is with a JWT ECU and then program your own so that it produces the same
values. Log the advance in the ignition per MAF readings and RPM and you can
do the same with the Ignition maps.

Clean and legitimate "white-room" functionality recreation.

What I mean to say here is that given the tools, dedication and time,
anything can be done legitimately.

Chris
1992 Sunny 2.0GTi

>  From: "Peter Jackson"
> What I don't want to see is outright theft and copying of copyrighted
> maps. Are Nissan's maps public domain, or are they Nissan's? JWT's?
> If someone pirated all their product and sold it as their own, would you
> really want to do business with them?

> There are fair use considerations. I think the boards can be sold
> ethically.
> I'm not pointing any fingers, I wouldn't know who to point at.
> I am just raising the issue before theft becomes accepted practice and
> the 'Everybody else is doing it' fallacy is used.

> Peter J
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