Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!umich!umeecs!dip.eecs.umich.edu!bagchi From: bagchi@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Ranjan Bagchi) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Pirates and swapware Message-ID: <2826@zipeecs.umich.edu> Date: 28 Jun 90 00:08:12 GMT References: <1990Jun24.075559.13459@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <90176.155439ESDYKE@MTUS5.BITNET> Sender: news@zip.eecs.umich.edu Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept, Ann Arbor, MI Lines: 28 In article Chuck.Phillips@FtCollins.NCR.COM (Chuck.Phillips) writes: [stuff deleted] >>>>>> On 25 Jun 90 20:54:39 GMT, ESDYKE@MTUS5.BITNET (Erick Dyke) said: >Good question. I posted a description of an example ID PROM implementation >on 6/25. To that, add a check whether the host machine or a machine >connected to the host machine is authorized to use the software. This >would require writing an interface for the software to query a remote >machine's ID PROM. (NOTE: A "net" isn't necessary. A simple serial port >to serial port connection would be sufficient.) If you want to get fancy, >one could set up a license server that allows X number of copies of the >program to execute simultaneously. Both Apollo and Sun provide this for >their workstations, so it _can_ be done. As noted before, this simply widens the already present hole the in the scheme, such that a hardware hacker now doesn't have to open up the amiga, but, rather, can simply whip up a dongle-type thing that can be slapped onto the serial port. What people seem to be missing is that anything put together by human beings can be taken apart by human beings. It really is a question of how long it takes to do it. Interestingly enough, the use of a difficult (cracker's point-of-view) copy protection scheme would act as a filter so only software worth the effort of cracking gets circulated in pirate circles. Anything mediocre would get left alone, because it's "not worth the effort." >-- >Chuck Phillips MS440 >NCR Microelectronics Chuck.Phillips%FtCollins.NCR.com >Ft. Collins, CO. 80525 uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-mpd!bach!chuckp