Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!wjh12!lotto
From: lotto@wjh12.harvard.edu (Jerry Lotto)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Why Can't Microsoft Write Protect Their Distribution Disks?
Keywords: Think first, then post!
Message-ID: <217@wjh12.harvard.edu>
Date: 28 May 88 13:48:54 GMT
References: <175@optilink.UUCP> <978@hsi.UUCP> <5873@cup.portal.com> <5131@nsc.nsc.com> <101@dcs.UUCP>
Reply-To: lotto@wjh12.UUCP (Jerry Lotto)
Distribution: na
Organization: Harvard Univ. Chem. Dept.
Lines: 50

In article <101@dcs.UUCP> wnp@dcs.UUCP (Wolf N. Paul) writes:
>In article <5131@nsc.nsc.com> woolsey@nsc.UUCP (Jeff Woolsey) writes:
>>Why can't the _end-user_ simply write-protect the diskettes before use?
>
>Maybe the END-USER is lazy, or forgetful, or careless, etc., and after
>... and other insulting remarks


	Wait a minute here! I have been watching this
   "conversation" with amazement.  I have seen installation
   procedures that open a dozen files or so on a hard disk,
   rename important boot and system files to temporary names,
   try to write to a write protected installation disk, and
   bomb.  Remember that stupid copy-protection scheme that
   involved writing to a physically damaged part of a disk and
   then reading the data back.  If the programmer using this
   copy-protection routine just checked for a error return, the
   same behavior would result from a bootleg copy as from a
   write protected copy.  Some companies did this.  There have
   numerous other modes of failure from automatic installation
   programs that I been called upon to help someone recover
   from.  I have personally sworn off of installation
   programs/procedures indefinitely (the non-batch type).  The
   same damn thing goes for VMSINSTAL save-sets.  The only
   installation scripts I trust are ones that I can READ FIRST!
   
   	The bottom line is that any installation program
   that tries to do too much is going to run into a
   non-standard system and screw it up sooner or later.  The
   ONLY safe practice you can follow is to know and understand
   what you are doing, and that is not always reasonable to
   expect of someone when you hand them an "INSTALL.EXE".
   
   	Don't jump to the conclusion that everything is made
   clear in the instruction manual (What instruction manual?
   :-)) either.  Or that the user has enough experience with
   his/her machine to know what is dangerous.  Look at the
   latest WordPerfect 5.0 upgrade kits.  They include a READ
   THIS insert, obviously added at some intermediate stage in
   the distribution process.  It says (approximately) "On page
   417, Do not FORMAT your hard disk if it has already been
   formatted." Some people just don't know enough about
   computers when they are born.  They have to learn.
   
   	The day that YOU make a careless mistake or wrong
   decision, may we all post to the net calling YOU an idiot?
-- 
Gerald Lotto - Harvard Chemistry Dept.
UUCP:  {seismo,harpo,ihnp4,linus,allegra,ut-sally}!harvard!lotto
ARPA:  lotto@harvard.harvard.edu