Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site sesame.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!sesame!slerner From: slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner) Newsgroups: net.micro.pc Subject: Re: Re: Re: software protection - dongl Message-ID: <282@sesame.UUCP> Date: Tue, 20-Aug-85 05:28:41 EDT Article-I.D.: sesame.282 Posted: Tue Aug 20 05:28:41 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 17:54:06 EDT References: <250@sesame.UUCP> <5100095@uiucdcsb> Organization: Lotus Development Corp Lines: 54 John W. Jabusch writes: > Also, for those ideas that Mr. Lerner described for packages that > give demos or work fine but won't save if you don't have the key... I have > one question: Does this mean that if I have, say, a portable, or two > machines, or have some other reason for having to remove the keyring, and > I then forget to put it back on, that the software might let me work for > two hours and then refuse to save my work? If so, that's just one more > attack on the innocent bystander using less than moral ethics on the vendor's > part to try to get even with pirates! HP currently uses a similar scheme for protecting some of their software. A hardware key is required to run the program. If it is absent, there is a 5 second beep, a full screen warning that work will not be able to be saved or printed, and once the program in entered, a warning flag remains on-screen. If the key is installed, the warning turns off and they are allowed full program access. If someone looses data under this type of system they are either brain-dead or where trying to fake out the protection. > I am sure that no matter how much software protection you are willing > to put up with, be it keyring or armed guard, no vendor out there is likely > to put any sort of guarantee on it for the time lost due to some programming > bug or feature. That is, how many vendors at this time guarantee their > product to the extent that they will cover your losses due for some reason > to the use of their program? None, that I know of. Now, how many are likely > to change? None, that I know of. As it is, very few of them even guarantee > that their program will work, let alone correctly! Take a look at the license > that comes with 123. I don't know why he is so upset. If you look at the warentee of almost ANY product (not just software), incidental and consequential damage liability is specifically waived. Much of this is due to juries holding companies liable for events beyond their control, and awarding large sums of $$$. [Lawyer: My client dropped his hard disk unit 3 floors, and all of his valuble data was lost! Jury: Oh my! Give hime $3M] My personal feeling is that a company _should_ warrent that their product will do essentialy whatever the documents/manuals/adds say it will do, and if not, they will either fix it or refund your money. Maybe if they aren't so nervous about being ripped off and/or sued, they will re-evaluate their policies. -- Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus Development Corp. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner slerner%sesame@harvard.ARPA