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From: chuck@eneevax.UUCP (Chuck Harris)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: Re: Copy Protection - a case study
Message-ID: <452@eneevax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 14-Dec-85 12:49:14 EST
Article-I.D.: eneevax.452
Posted: Sat Dec 14 12:49:14 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Dec-85 04:52:24 EST
References: <3624@think.UUCP> <131300002@ima.UUCP> <882@ecsvax.UUCP> <883@ecsvax.UUCP> <465@looking.UUCP> <1799@uwmacc.UUCP>
Reply-To: chuck@eneevax.UUCP (Chuck Harris)
Organization: U of Maryland, EE Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 39
Summary: Serial numbers in distributed software


The idea of putting serial numbers in distributed software is a good one,
however there are a few problems that you may not have thought of.

	1) most commercial copying schemes rely on the bulk copying
	   of a master disk onto a large number of "clone" disks.
	   They do not use (to the best of my knowledge) a computer
	   to add things to each individual disk.  The addition of
	   a serial number would require a special copying machine
	   that has the ability to make different copies on each disk .

	2) When I leave the office at the end of the day, I do not
	   put my machine in a vault.  Other people could gain access
	   to the software on my machine without my knowledge (does
	   this sound like your office?).  The existance of a copy,
           or copies, of a program with my serial number on them in
	   no way proves that I had anything to do with the creation
	   of the copies.

The idea that you could punish an owner because some copies of a program
that he purchased were found elsewhere is wrong.  If the publisher of
a program wants the program's users to protect the program with such
vigor, perhaps he should include a vault with every purchase, and insist
that the program be placed in that vault when the user is not willing to
be responsible for its being stolen?

I would not purchase any program that could cause me to be prosecuted
as the result of someone stealing it from me.

To make my stand clear, I am not in favor of copy protection, or software
theft.  I feel that manufacturers must accept the fact that some theft
will occur, and make use of a stolen copy undesirable.  The best ways
I know of doing this are through providing: excellent customer service,
a manual worth paying for, a product that has been adequately tested,
and a price that is reasonable.

And yes, I do still believe in the tooth fairy!

			Chuck Harris