Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.8 $; site uiucdcsb
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcsb!jabusch
From: jabusch@uiucdcsb.Uiuc.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: software copying and protection (a
Message-ID: <4400113@uiucdcsb>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 18:57:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsb.4400113
Posted: Mon Aug 19 18:57:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 03:33:20 EDT
References: <409@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Lines: 28
Nf-ID: #R:brl-tgr.ARPA:-40900:uiucdcsb:4400113:000:1504
Nf-From: uiucdcsb.Uiuc.ARPA!jabusch    Aug 19 17:57:00 1985



	I expect to get my money back if the software doesn't meet my
standards, or if it is insufficient for the job at hand, or if it is
bug-ridden, or if I feel it doesn't live up to the boasting claims of
the author(s).  After all, that's something you can be able to do
with anything else.
	Given the current price of commercial software, I expect it
to be warranteed just the same as the book, tire, diskette, computer,
television, or anything else that I buy.  I can't afford to take a risk
for the prices asked.  If there is no guarantee, there is no sale.
	I am sure that if I buy something with a rubber check, the vendor
would want that replaced with cash.  Software that doesn't do what it
claims or that is not guaranteed to work is the same as a rubber check
or an expired Mastercard.
	I have yet to find a vendor who would take my promise for money
in exchange for software, and how do I know the vendor isn't going to 
run off a bunch of extra charges against my Mastercard account when I
charge something?  I trust the vendor enough to buy the package,
but Mr. Lerner suggests that the vendor should not trust me once the
package is opened...  How am I supposed to know if it is going to work
if I can't even read the manual?  I have seen little commercial software 
that has the manual outside the shrink wrap and the diskette inside,
although there is some out there.
	As always, greed and distrust are the two factors that the
innocent consumer faces with software firms.

	John W. Jabusch