Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!gatech!bloom-beacon!think!ames!ptsfa!hoptoad!academ!killer!elg From: elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: all copy protection Message-ID: <1153@killer.UUCP> Date: Sat, 18-Jul-87 02:56:40 EDT Article-I.D.: killer.1153 Posted: Sat Jul 18 02:56:40 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jul-87 08:49:59 EDT References: <606@madvax.UUCP> Organization: Bayou Telecommunications Lines: 45 in article <606@madvax.UUCP>, richc@madvax.UUCP (Rich Commins) says: > I'm not justifing the motives of thieves and pirates, but tring to point > out that there is no protection for software consumers from the > thieves that sell shoddy and or broken software to an unsuspecting buyer. > Has anyone bought software, tried the program and found that it didn't work > or perform as expected, and try to return it for credit? No way! I often borrow a program from a friend before I buy it. For example, C-Power 128... I was afraid it was going to be a useless toy. Well, it IS a toy, but it's FAR from useless... so I bought it. Of course, according to The Great Net God, I'm a sneaking smirking pirate, because I got a copy of Abacus's BASIC-64 and promptly erased it because it sux royally. It's nice knowing a software dealer personally... those guys are the master of shrink-wrapping! You wouldn't believe how much of the software in the typical computer store has been opened, copied, and then re-wrapped.... > I feel shareware is a step in the right direction to break this catch 22. > Shareware does require that honest people who use the software pay the > price the author requests, but if the software is useless he just doesn't > send in the money. This is not the perfect solution to the problem, but is > a start to solving the software/pirate problem. Sad truth: Shareware is an ABYSYMAL failure. Even when the program is used a lot (like Perry's recoverable RAM disk), you will find VERY few people sending in any money. For example, the author of one program for the C-64, called "LYNX", which was VERY widely used (it was the fastest file archiving program for the C-64, because it took advantage of the linked-list nature of CBM DOS).... he got $44. That's IT. Or the Gary Label Maker. I use it to make up very fancy disk labels, with Print Shop graphics, oodles of fonts, etc.... John Gary has gotten lots of mail, from places as far away as Australia and New Zealand (which he enjoys answering), but he's spent more on replying to his mail, than he's recieved in donations! (he can't help it, he's just one of those vanishing breed of "nice guy" who would be aghast at the crudity of not answering his mail). Any scheme which which makes the user take an extra step in order to pay the author is doomed to failure. Let's face it, people are lazy. They'll see that $15 request on LYNX, and say "hmm, maybe I ought to send that in" and that's as far as it gets... -- Eric Green elg%usl.CSNET Ron Headrest: A President {cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg for the Electronic Age! Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 Lafayette, LA 70509 BBS phone #: 318-984-3854 300/1200 baud