Eglin:
I agree the original post was resonable, coming from an individual who was ignorant of previous posts regarding the subject. I think devn00b was a bit short with him, but sometimes when you answer the same question often enough, the answers get shorter.
Let me give you an outsider's (not-a-dev) view. This consists of facts presented in other posts and my own speculation.
The big issue is the encryption used by the client/login server to protect the name and password used by the client. I would guess this is done by a dll for which they do not have the source code. (There have been posts that the source code for the encrypt/decrypt routines is not in the hands of the dev team) The fact that it is a dll and not a lib file is my guess based upon the way I would have done it.
So, where did it come from. Not the dev team, since they don't have the source. Perhaps someone who works for sony slipped them the same dll used at eqlive. I doubt it. So that leaves the possibility that it was reverse engineered from the client. Someone, possibly a former dev team member or a code tinkerer from the project passed, produced it and gave it to the project.
I would guess here that the gift had a string attached. That it would not leave the hands of the dev team and that they would agree not to reverse engineer it. Being honorable people, I feel they have kept their word. And without this piece, the entire login server is useless.
Even without the promise above, there are still reasons to not release the encrypt/decrypt dll. The USA has some strange laws against exporting encryption/decrytion technology to certain countries. Once on the internet, there is no control where the files will go, making the dev team and project criminally liable and possibly placing some or all of the dev team in federal prison.
Speaking of laws, there is also the digital millenium copyright act. A law passed which is, in my opinion, not only unconstitutional but breaks international copyright agreements. The DMCA has some strong language regarding breaking decryption for any reason including personal/fair use. Even if they win the case aganst them, the legal costs would break the project and bankrupt the individuals involved.
Finally, about releasing the executables. It might sound like a good idea... until you realize there are people like me (a quintessential hacker of the *original* definition) who could easily figure it out. I wouldn't release it, but then I'm not stupid
Someone else could. Would the dev team be liable for aiding this person by making it available? Even if not, there are the court costs again.
With the encrytion/decryption routines, it would be possible to intercept packets going to eqlive, decrypt them and get the name/password for active live accounts. Liablilty? Criminal charges for making it possible? Think court costs. Or, just think of the moral resposibility they would feel.
I, like you, could make my own login server. I don't see a need to and have plenty of other things to keep me busy. Should the day arrive when I feel I must, I will do it. Don't expect me to announce the fact or post the source.
Just my opinions; value: $0, but it does come with a double your money back guarantee.