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From: ralph@mit-atrp.UUCP (Amiga-Man)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Copy protection: A marketing analysis
Message-ID: <1393@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 20-Jul-87 10:47:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: mit-amt.1393
Posted: Mon Jul 20 10:47:01 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 21-Jul-87 04:44:31 EDT
References: <207@cc5.bbn.com.BBN.COM> <892@omepd>
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Reply-To: ralph@ATRP.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Amiga-Man)
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Organization: MIT Amiga Users Group c/o MIT Cognitive Info. Processing Group
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In article <892@omepd> hah@mipon3.UUCP (Hans Hansen) writes:
>While I in most part agree that it is not fair to the software developer to
>have their work pirated.  I feel that the real place for software protection
>lies with Commodore.  The Amiga should have had an ID ROM in each machine
>that is unique from all others.  All programmers that felt the need to protect
>their programs would then burry the cusotmers ID within the program the first
>time it was loaded.
>
Hmmm.... now this seems to be a fair way to go about things. Anyone know
if CBM has included such a thing ? There are the autoboot ID's for
expansion cards, which can include a serial number of the card. Perhaps
the Amiga motherboard has such an ID and serial number ?
And, secondarily, how about this idea: each person buys a *single* dongle
which only contains a user "serial" number. It's the only one plugged
into the machine, and all programs use it the same. When you first get the
disk it is all copy protected to heck, and you perform a simple "installation"
which makes note of you serial number and makes the software only work
with that serial. Now if you want to visit your buddies and show them some
programs you just *bought*, you merely bring along yer dongle (sounds
wierd :-) ). If you loose it, no problem. It's just like car keys. You have
the serial number someplace, and you get a new set of keys (dongle) cut (made).
The dongle can have some cheap programmable logic array in it.
Now, sure, people could duplicate dongles, but they'd have to do a different
one for *each* program they pirate. This makes it hard for the pirates, easy
for the owners. Isn't that fair ? And multitasking and visiting work fine.

Jest an idea. I believe various micro manufacturers use this kind of technique.
Anybody know more about it ?

I am steadfastly against copy protection unless it doesn't hinder the *owner*
at all in using the program and backing it up.