Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ames!ncar!tank!uxc!uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!uxg.cso.uiuc.edu!uxe.cso.uiuc.edu!mcdonald From: mcdonald@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: built-in security features Message-ID: <46500046@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu> Date: 2 Feb 89 16:44:00 GMT References: <8846@nsc.nsc.com> Lines: 51 Nf-ID: #R:nsc.nsc.com:8846:uxe.cso.uiuc.edu:46500046:000:2645 Nf-From: uxe.cso.uiuc.edu!mcdonald Feb 2 10:44:00 1989 >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. >Philip A. Gross |INTERNET: pag%tcsc3b2@wb3ffv.ampr.org >The Computer Solution Co., Inc. |USENET: ...!wb3ffv!tcsc3b2!pag >1009 Sycamore Square, P.O. Box 716 |UUCP: tcsc3b2!pag (804)794-1514 >Midlothian, VA 23113-0716 |ATTMAIL: attmail!tcsc3b2!pag Not informing potential buyers that your program is copy protected is a VERY nasty thing. Nasty to the users, nasty to potential users nasty to your company's reputation, and potentially bad for your bottom line. When we have bought software that wasn't a "known quantity", we always insert clauses in our purchase order that specifies that the software is 1: Not copy protected in any way. That is, it will run on a simple, straightforward copy of the distribution media, can be installed from that copy any number of times, does not depend on any specific hardware device (i.e. we can install it on two machines, only one of which can possible be in service at the same time, and have it run on either without changing any hardware between computers), and will contine to run on the computer it is installed on even if any unit specific hardware is changed (i.e. serial number roms changed to a new serial number.) 2: If the vendor wants to try to sell us software that violates article 1, that vendor must have an officer of the company discuss this with us in great detail, and must individually negotiate a contract. 3: If software that is copy protected is indeed delivered without a contract specifically negotiated as under #2, and it causes us problems, the selling company will pay for the cost of any problems, plus 10 time the cost of the problems, plus 10 times the price of the software. To date, no company has had any problems with this - either they have said truthfully "we're not copy protected" or they have said "uh - well - maybe we don't want to do business with you - we care more about copy protection than a sale" - and that was the end of that. (By "we" I mean my group and most of our department- the larger entity we are in has perhaps negotiated as in number 2; I'm not sure about this, though.) What would your company do if a purchase order had such a clause? Doug McDonald