Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxx.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihuxx!ignatz
From: ignatz@ihuxx.UUCP (Dave Ihnat, Chicago, IL)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.micro
Subject: Re: Software Piracy
Message-ID: <714@ihuxx.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Apr-84 16:19:26 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxx.714
Posted: Wed Apr 11 16:19:26 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Apr-84 07:17:23 EST
References: <206@utmbvax.UUCP> <2978@fortune.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 28

Without going too much into it, please read the latest issue of
Mini-Micro systems for a fascinating--and disturbing--new product that
is being marketed as a software protection scheme.  Basically, there
is a physical "fingerprint" actually embedded on the surface of a
floppy diskette, at a random track/sector location.  The protected
software knows about it, and can (somehow--not explained in the
article) access it.  Thus, if the software is on a different disk or
diskette, no go.  Problems?  On a hard-disk system, the device must be
in the floppy drive.  Also, backups aren't--you can't copy the
"fingerprint", so the program on the backup disk won't run without the
original.  The manufacturer maintains that, since you aren't
permitted to write the sector/track that the fingerprint resides on,
it can't go bad (?), and the backup is adequate; but they admit that
they expect to end up in court.  (I don't mind the protection, but if
the backup depends on the integrity of the original disk, I don't
trust it.)  As for the diskette always having to be in the boot drive,
they say they're figuring out a way to stamp hard disks.  (How about
multiple proprietary, protected programs?  They don't address it.)

AT&T is supposed to have purchased rights to use this scheme,
according to the article.

If people want details--the vol. and issue numbers of the Mini-Micro
Systems copy, company names, etc--I'll get them. (I'm at work, the
'zine is at home).  Just ask.

Dave Ihnat
ihuxx!ignatz