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From: jkm@security.UUCP (Jonathan K.Millen)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: copy protection
Message-ID: <1005@security.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Nov-85 08:43:39 EST
Article-I.D.: security.1005
Posted: Tue Nov 26 08:43:39 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 29-Nov-85 21:29:03 EST
References: <1204@jhunix.UUCP> <763@bbnccv.UUCP> <11016@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <1002@security.UUCP> <799@ecsvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: jkm@security.UUCP (Jonathan K.Millen)
Distribution: net
Organization: MITRE Corp., Bedford, Ma.
Lines: 31

In article <799@ecsvax.UUCP> hes@ecsvax.UUCP (Henry Schaffer) writes:
>> ---------
>>      An ideal form of copy protection is possible if each machine has a
>> serial number that is readable by software (e.g., stored in ROM).  When
>> a program is sold, it comes in a form that is uncopyable, but as soon as
>> it runs on a machine, two things happen: (1) it "freezes" on that machine,
>> that is, it will run only on the machine with that serial number; and (2)
>> it becomes copyable.
>>      If the customer gets a new machine, he should be able to send the
>
>   I have one microcomputer at work, and another at home.  I often carry 
>my purchased copy of software with me to work and back.  This is a legal
>use which would not be possible with this suggested type of protection.
>--henry schaffer

     The "second machine" case is very much like the "new machine" case.  You
should be able to send the original disk to the vendor and receive an
unfrozen copy (while still keeping a copy of the frozen one). The new disk
would not be free, since the vendor has handling, copying, mailing, and
disk costs to cover, and may also want to charge something extra to
discourage people from redistributing them.  The new-disk charge would still
be no more than wholesale price (I assume about half retail), and it could
be much less on expensive programs - just enough to cover customer
registration bookkeeping.  Keep in mind that customer registration would
not be necessary for every customer, only those who request a new disk, and
not until they do so.

Jon Millen

"We should stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us...
not on each other's toes." -a Peter Neumann paraphrase