So...
I've been wondering. What's the legality code of Utilities/Frames/IC and so on ?
Thanks !
-Carmi

I'd go ahead and extend cyberdecks Legality code of 4P-S over to programs.

I don't know.. seems like a lot of them would be perfectly legit (search, maybe medic, stuff like that). Heck, every free UOL disc comes with a rating 2 search program. Stuff which no average Joe would reasonably need (attack programs of all sorts, armor, password crackers) I'd keep the rating as listed above.

Could be like the Spell Formula legality - anything above Force 3 requires a permit, IIRC...

Nezumi, is that canon? Personally, I'd say that all the listed matrix programs are restricted, and the stuff that normal users can fiddle around with is some sort of mystical "rating 0" program that doesn't have any provisions for doing stuff when you aren't supposed to be doing it. Medic wouldn't be used because you're not supposed to be under attack; if anything they'd just get a program that would automatically disconnect them on detection of an attack. That sort of thing.

~J

It would be nice if we could agree on something so I can integrate it into CCOC and be able to sleep well at night

No, my idea is not at all canon. It just seems logical. As someone who works in the computer security field, I would have use for programs which help me find other files quickly and for programs which help protect my computer. Actually, I'd probably end up saying medic and armor (at low levels) are both legal, since it effectively works like Norton (I seem to recollect attack being something which exploits flaws in your computers code, like a virus. Logically, armor would be your virus scan then and Medic would be like scandisk.) Now I could believe that all of the programs are equally illegal if the code they use is specially made for decks (and decks are illegally made computers; your average wageslave like I am IRL would not have a shadowrunner's brand of deck.) That would be because it could only be used on an illegal piece of hardware, and therefore has no legal uses.

That said, it really is up to your GM. Beyond the availability of 'search' being less than 0 for me, it's never come up. After all, no beat cop who pulls you over is going to be able to glance at a disk and say its illegal, and if they have reason to check whats actually on your disks, you're probably in for a lot more than just having illegal hardware.

That depends. If the illegal hardware you're in for is your deck, they're gonna be checking the software.
But yes, the legality all depends on how you see the programs.

~J