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From: mjg@ecsvax.UUCP (Michael Gingell)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: software protection - dongles
Message-ID: <1695@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Jul-85 09:10:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.1695
Posted: Thu Jul 18 09:10:05 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jul-85 17:58:12 EDT
References: <566@alberta.UUCP>, <5100083@uiucdcsb>
Organization: NC Educational Computing Service
Lines: 23

Software protection, is like Airport Security - a pain but
sometimes neccessary to prevent the excesses of human nature.
We all have to suffer as the result of the actions of some
irresponsible individuals (and companies in some cases !).

I hate software protection but I have seen the pirates in
action and I can understand but not sympathise with the vendors
who charge an arm and a leg for a package that costs less than
$20 to make in quantity. I read recently that Lotus is a $100M
a year corporation - all that from one package that probably
cost 1% of that to create. It is reasonable to charge a price
which  allows you to recoup your costs, pay the shareholders
and plough back some money into new developments but I think
the consumer sees the prices charged as excessive and feels
that for a product where you give up most of your rights just
by opening the box and looking at it the manufacturer deserves
to be ripped off. (Sorry, I got carried away.)

The above are my personal opinions and are not meant to reflect 
discredit on any particular company or individual. (This is my
"Software disclaimer").

Mike Gingell   ...decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!mjg