On Die, 2003-01-21 at 18:44, Robert Lemmen wrote:
> obscurity doesn't work. and, as far as i can see, there is no crypto or
> any other solution that will help you there, it's simply a black-box
> problem: you have a client that communicates with a server, but you can
> never trust the client. if the server gives any information to the
> client that the user isn't supposed to see, or accepts any commands that
> the user wasn't supposed to give, it is possible to cheat.
Fully ACK.
For at least two reasons, I don't find the notion that players can cheat
disturbing:
- it makes people aware what a security issue is
- you wanted to get people to write free software, not just use it...
As for the people offering real $$$ prizes: open source clients even the
chances out - not only those with deep assembler/debugger skills can
cheat, but ordinary humans (programmers), too. So, it should make too
big a difference...
A trend to held the really big$$$ tournaments in a central location,
with people actually meeting face to face, would be most welcome, I
guess. Then, at those events, the environment is easily controlled and
everybody has the unmodified versions.
cheers
-- vbi
--
P.S. All information contained in the above letter is false,
for reasons of military security.
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