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From: mo@seismo.UUCP (Mike O'Dell)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Junkware
Message-ID: <2957@seismo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Aug-85 00:39:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: seismo.2957
Posted: Mon Aug 12 00:39:11 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 13-Aug-85 03:17:35 EDT
Organization: Center for Seismic Studies, Arlington, VA
Lines: 27
Keywords: Busted Software

In spite of the fact that English doesn't need a new phrase for junk software,
I am proposing one anyway: Junkware.  I just witnessed an amazing feat which
may well put the offending program up for the Junkware-of-the-year-award,
but since I haven't yet given the author a chance to reply, I won't name
the product involved.  However, I will explain the amazing behavior.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the little button on the disk is OPEN
the disk is write-protected, no??  Well, I just bought a game program which
is of course copy protected (violating my first rule, of course).  Silly
me, instead of immediately cracking it with various copy tools, I though
I'd just write-protect the disk and run it.  Well, it worked fine until
it went to write out some "high score" file.  It immedate GORKED with
"File Damaged or Missing" and exited to the finder.  Well, restarting it
got a very different window (one which betrays its forth implementation)
repeating the "File Damaged" message, and then immediately exiting to the
finder again.  HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???  If the disk is write protected,
how does it know??? How did it scrog something?? I can understand the
exit-on-error attitude, but what got broken?  Does the write protect not
REALLY work??  If so, I want to speak to the management!!!

This kind of poor QA and boundary behaviour is the basis of the Junkware
nomination.  I realize I brought it on myself by (1) initially buying
copy protected software and (2) by not backing it up anyway.  But this was
really a kind of test - a $30 gamble to see if meer users can really live
with copy protection. They can't.

	-Mike O'Dell