Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!ralf
From: ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.programmer
Subject: Re: Copy Protection
Message-ID: <8591@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: 25 Mar 90 03:26:22 GMT
References: <2796@dlvax2.datlog.co.uk> <90080.140503CMH117@psuvm.psu.edu> <395@netmbx.UUCP>
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 27

In article <395@netmbx.UUCP> cosheff@netmbx.UUCP (Charles Shefflette) writes:
}CMH117@psuvm.psu.edu (Charles Hannum) writes:
}
}
}>In article <2796@dlvax2.datlog.co.uk>, dartus@datlog.co.uk ( David Artus) says:
}>>
}>>We wish to evaluate possible copy protection methods that could
}>>be used for PC software. One option we have examined is the use of
}
}>I only have one piece of advice:  No copy protection scheme is safe.
}
}Here, here!! Make sure you post what software you decide to copy protect
}so that we DON'T ACCIDENTLY PURCHASE IT!  I make it a FIRM POLICY for
}my private software and the software we purchase at work NOT to purchase
}a package that is copy protected if we can find ANYTHING ELSE which will
}serve even a similar purpose!

A case study:  when Borland released the first update of the original
Sidekick (which had been copy protected), it offered a choice of
copy-protected for $50 and non-copy-protected for $80.  Even though the
non-copy-protected version cost 60% more, it outsold the copy-protected
version by something like five to one!
-- 
{backbone}!cs.cmu.edu!ralf   ARPA: RALF@CS.CMU.EDU   FIDO: Ralf Brown 1:129/46
BITnet: RALF%CS.CMU.EDU@CMUCCVMA   AT&Tnet: (412)268-3053 (school)   FAX: ask
DISCLAIMER? | _How_to_Prove_It_ by Dana Angluin  3. by vigorous handwaving:
What's that?|   	Works well in a classroom or seminar setting.