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From: jtt@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (James T. Tanis)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Is 4d (Fourth Dimension) on Mac better than ALL?
Summary: Evil copy protection scheme
Message-ID: <1991Jan4.203119.22105@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
Date: 4 Jan 91 20:31:19 GMT
References: <19464@netcom.UUCP> <1991Jan3.220828.2734@fennel.cc.uwa.oz.au> <42090@ut-emx.uucp>
Sender: news@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (The Daily News)
Organization: Columbia University
Lines: 16

4d does not exactly use key disk protection - it uses a more heinous scheme
still.What it does is register it's serial number via NBP, and if that
fails, forces you to retype the serial number off the registration card.
Now, in theory, this should not interfere with the user much.

but of course, copy protection does not work in a theoretical way. Since 4d
often crashes, and I have tmon running, I have to reboot the machine so
that when I restart 4d, it does not run into its own name, and waste more
of my time. furthermore, I have noticed some unkind interactions between 4d
and Oscar, which sometimes result in remote machines crashing when I send
them something while I am running 4D!

Down with all copy protection! send the masterminds behind it all to the
lions!
-JT