Xref: utzoo comp.arch:8086 comp.edu:2015 comp.misc:4871
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cwjcc!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osu-cis!att!chinet!les
From: les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell)
Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.edu,comp.misc
Subject: Re: built-in security features
Message-ID: <7594@chinet.chi.il.us>
Date: 1 Feb 89 19:52:06 GMT
References: <8846@nsc.nsc.com> <5995@polya.Stanford.EDU> <1804@maccs.McMaster.CA> <2373@PEDEV.Columbia.NCR.COM> <424@tcsc3b2.UUCP>
Reply-To: les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell)
Followup-To: comp.arch
Organization: Chinet - Public Access Unix
Lines: 30

In article <424@tcsc3b2.UUCP> pag@tcsc3b2.UUCP (Philip A. Gross) writes:

 >The big issue is, does it really matter if the software makes use of
 >a hardware imbedded serial number.  The software will operate smoothly
 >and consistently so long as it is retained on the CPU it was installed
 >on.  The customer generally does not even need to know that their is
 >any copy protection mechanisms in force.  The customer can make all the
 >backups of the software they need to, all without violation of the
 >copyright protection because the software will not operate on any _other_
 >CPU once it has been installed.

 >We generally do not inform the customer that there is any copy protection
 >being used.  However, we do STRONGLY advise them that they should contact
 >us, along with their AT&T service personnel whenever they experience a
 >hardware problem which may involve the exchange of the motherboard.
 >Under such circumstances, their are simple procedures in place which will
 >allow the software to be 're-installed' on a machine which has had the 
 >motherboard replaced.

>Generally if the customer has had to have the motherboard replaced in the
>computer, re-installation of licensed software is not a major concern.

We keep spare machines and can swap one into operation in an hour or
two (about the amount of time you spend on hold when you call service..).
I suspect that other sites that consider their computer operations
important do likewise.  I would be *real* unhappy to find out after a 
swap that some piece of software didn't work *on purpose*, especially
if I hadn't been told to expect it.

Les Mikesell