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From: lauren@RAND-UNIX.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: software copying and protection (a personal opinion)
Message-ID: <409@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 3-Aug-85 23:52:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.409
Posted: Sat Aug  3 23:52:34 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Aug-85 06:02:29 EDT
Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA
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There clearly is one pretty much fullproof method for copy-protecting
software.  You put everything on one chip.  Code, CPU, memory, the
works.  Expensive?  Sure, at least for now.  Practical?  Maybe for
some applications, not for all, certainly.  Desirable?  Well,
that's another matter entirely.  But the point is that it COULD be done.

But...

Short of the one-chip "solution," my personal feeling is that copy-protection
is pretty much a waste of time.  From what I can see at this point,
dongles seem like an awful lot of hassle and may prove to be less
secure than many proponents would suggest at this time.  Disk-based
copy-protection could always be beaten if someone put enough time
or effort into the job, and after that oodles of copies could be
made from the one cracked copy.

Luckily, most people in our culture are comparatively reasonable about 
being willing to pay for something they consider useful.  Software
isn't the sort of thing (unlike food and shelter) that you absolutely
cannot live without!

I personally feel that any company that puts forth a good product,
and provides useful and ongoing support has comparatively little
to worry about regarding "software piracy."  Some illicit copying
will go on, of course.  But there are enough individuals and companies
who feel that a good product and good support is a package that
has true worth, and is worthy of being paid for, to provide such
software manufacturers with a very reasonable return to help
pay the rent, feed the kids, and fund the time required for
future development and support itself.

My opinion, anyway.

--Lauren--