What is "proprietary Apple code" that is preventing a public Jailbreak release?

[contradictum]

Hi - I wasnt sure if this was asked already, but I did try searching first.

Anyway, I was reading an article online about jailbreaking the iphone 4, and that while it has been accomplished already, it could not be released to the public due to "proprietary apple code".

So I was just curious exactly what that means and what the effort is like to remove this so called "code" as part of the jailbreaking process.

 

[big9erfan]

Proprietary code means that the code is copyrighted by Apple and cannot be released publically without facing severe legal issues.

 

[white573]

So does that basically mean apple has not only patched a loophole but made it illegal to jb? This has been a debateable issue since the begining. Maybe they figure they will never defeat hackers so they r going a different route? I would love to hear more info on this subject

 

[big9erfan]

No, that's not what it means. If the hackers were to reverse engineer the solution for a jailbreak it would be fine and there would be no legal issues. Taking code that you didn't write and distributing it, that's the problem.

 

[white573]

Ok....still a bit confused about it but hey that doesn't suprise me. Happens all the time

 

[Hack-My-i]

Ok....still a bit confused about it but hey that doesn't suprise me. Happens all the time

Example: its like taking an "apple" and giving it out as yours but its not. < u will get sued.

...Now, take an "apple", turn it into an "orange" which has no ones name on it and sell it as yours. < thats legit.

 

[contradictum]

Proprietary code means that the code is copyrighted by Apple and cannot be released publically without facing severe legal issues.

So I got that - but I'm looking for something a bit more specific. Isn't ALL the code within the iPhone (aside from custom apps) Apple copyrighted anyway?

Doesn't a Jailbreak essentially contain the entire Apple copyrighted code anyway with the hacks and "jailbreak code" on top of it?

So I guess another way to ask this question is:

What do the Jailbreakers do exactly to STRIP "proprietary code" from the iPhone in order to release it publically? What does that process and/or code consist of?