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