Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!microsoft!clayj
From: clayj@microsoft.UUCP (Clay Jackson)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Software Development And Piracy (Spurred By FTL replies)
Message-ID: <107@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 19 Dec 88 22:23:39 GMT
Reply-To: clayj@microsoft.UUCP (Clay Jackson)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 30

Well, I've been watching this thread for a while, and something happened to me
last nite that I think is somewhat line with this discussion, altho a bit 
on a tangent.

I just purchased a copy of Managing Your Money, after some fairly extensive
research.   For the kinds of things I need to do, it is (IMHO) the best
package of it's ilk for the PC.  There is one thing my research did NOT
uncover, due primarily to the fact that I did NOT look in detail at the 
manual, but only at the  demo disks and some books written by third parties.

The ^&(% thing is copy protected; in what I feel is the most onerous possible
way.  You can COPY (but NOT diskcopy) the disks; but the program will randomly
ask you to insert your "master" disk.  If you do not have your master handy, or
if it gets broken, you're SOL.  MECA (the distributor) wants $15 for overnite
shipment of a new disk; otherwise, they'll take their sweet time.

I'm currently deciding if I should send it back or keep it, which will depend
to a large degree on my success in copying the disk with COPY II PC. (If
anyone from MECA is listening, I'm sure my lawyer would LOVE a fight with
your lawyers about the legality of my copying your disks FOR MY OWN PERSONAL
USE, and the (ill?)legality of you preventing me from doing so).

I really DISLIKE copy protection; but I can at least see the justification for
it on something like a game; but NOT on a Financial Package that is pretty
much useless without the manual (and support) in the first place.

Clay Jackson
Microsoft
As usual, these opinions are my own, and in no way reflect the opinions of
Microsoft Corp or anyone else!