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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site nicmad.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!gatech!seismo!uwvax!astroatc!nicmad!brown
From: brown@nicmad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: Re: Copy Protection - a case study
Message-ID: <476@nicmad.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Dec-85 23:24:43 EST
Article-I.D.: nicmad.476
Posted: Mon Dec 16 23:24:43 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Dec-85 04:26:39 EST
References: <3624@think.UUCP> <131300002@ima.UUCP>
Reply-To: brown@nicmad.UUCP (Mr. Video)
Organization: Nicolet Instrument Corp. Madison WI
Lines: 41

In article <1811@uwmacc.UUCP> demillo@uwmacc.UUCP (Rob DeMillo) writes:
>> >	(c) On EVERY distributed diskette, include (somewhere)
>> >	    in the code an encrypted serial number. Keep a
>> >	    record of which user has which serial number.
>> Great.  So what!  You have a record of where you shipped it.  But you rely
>> on the customer to send back the card.  Most of us users DO NOT send back that
>> dumb little card.  End of bookkeeping.
>> >	(d) If you find a pirated copy of your code, check
>> >	    the serial number and trace it back to the
>> >	    source! 
>> Above note says why it won't work.
>> >
>> >This scheme has several advantages:
>> >	(a) Ease of implementation - only need good
>> >	    bookkeeping to keep track of the serial #s.
>> And users who will send back the cards.
>> -- 
>> 
>> Mr. Video      seismo!uwvax!nicmad!brown
>
>What are you talking about? What card? 

The little registration card that comes with most software that I have seen.

>I am talking about the burden of bookkeeping being on the
>the company, not the consumer. You produce the diskettes
>on demand, and encode the serial number in the diskette.
>The consumer doesn't have to send back anything.

Yes, but in this instance, for the company to know where the software went,
the user HAS to send back the registration card.  If that is not done,
how is the company supposed to know where their product went?  The serial
number on the diskette isn't going to magically appear back at the company,
with the address from whence it came.
-- 

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Mr. Video      seismo!uwvax!nicmad!brown
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