With regard to their publicity schticks, they are either mentally deficient or just dishonest, and neither option is very heartening. It's also worth noting that although the BSA theoretically provides some useful functions, they have a longstanding problem with bending the truth completely out of shape.
There is also a FAQ about Reverse Engineering at Chilling Effects. The EFF has an excellent Reverse Engineering FAQ which includes case summaries and legal precedents influencing the legality of reverse engineering. This is not to say that all reverse engineering is legal.
Older IT professionals remember the days when vendors didn't offer APIs or documented data structures, and we relied on reverse engineering to achieve levels of interoperability that are taken for granted today! For example, if you have ever used a non-Windows device that connects to CIFS, you most likely have Samba (and reverse engineering) to thank. Keep in mind that all of us benefit from some level of reverse engineering. It is a disservice to state otherwise! There are many legal cases upholding the basic right to reverse engineer. Reverse engineering is not inherently illegal or in violation of copyright law.
