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From: brian@ut-sally.UUCP (Brian H. Powell)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: copy protection
Message-ID: <3547@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 17-Nov-85 19:05:31 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.3547
Posted: Sun Nov 17 19:05:31 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 18-Nov-85 07:48:17 EST
References: <1204@jhunix.UUCP> <763@bbnccv.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 40

> 
> 	Something that I have been toying with is another type of
> 'soft' protection. A software company could inbed unique serial
> numbers in the software AND register these numbers at the time of
> sale. The serial number could be done in several places, each time
> encrypted in a different way. (Or better yet, linking subroutines in a
> different order in each copy, with the serial number being the order
> of the routines and linked in variables.  This would make it VERY
> difficult to erase the serial number!) It wouldn't prevent people from
> coping it. It would only make them think twice before they gave
> somebody a program that COULD be traced to them. Again, it would be
> possible to "file the engine block" in hopes of removing the tell-tale
> serial numbers, but the nagging fear that you might have missed one,
> and could be sued for damages for fathering hundreds of illegal copies
> would undoubtably stop many. 
> 
> 	What does the net think? 

     Nice idea, but this makes the duplication part of production non-trivial.
If you have to relink the program for each disk produced, imagine the time
and resources involved.  SLOW.  Duplication is slow enough.  Vendors want
the product out fast.
     Most companies would rather not suffer the expense of complicated copy-
protection schemes.  (Remember, you not only have to generate the serial
numbers, you have to keep track of them when they are sold.)
     Also, the registration would be hard to enforce.  Every computer store
has to tell every computer salesman that your piece of software must be
registered.  Seems like somebody would forget, or just decide it's not worth
it.


Brian H. Powell
		UUCP:	{ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!brian
		ARPA:	brian@sally.UTEXAS.EDU

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