Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!ll-xn!ames!ptsfa!pttesac!vanam From: vanam@pttesac.UUCP (Marnix van Ammers) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: software piracy/copy protection Message-ID: <457@pttesac.UUCP> Date: Tue, 7-Jul-87 02:46:41 EDT Article-I.D.: pttesac.457 Posted: Tue Jul 7 02:46:41 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Jul-87 06:28:20 EDT References: <1223@spice.cs.cmu.edu> Reply-To: vanam@pttesac.UUCP (-Root Admin-) Organization: Pacific*Bell ESAC, San Francisco Lines: 35 Regarding copy protection and other gripes about commercial Amiga programs, how about: We establish a set of standards for Amiga programs and make a database showing which programs conform to which standards? I got this idea from a previous posting where an Amiga programming contest was announced. There were several pages of specifications which entries had to meet. For example, they had to work in 512K, had to work with additional fast ram being in the system. They had to allow multitasking (not allowed to take over the machine). They had to use standard Amiga mouse commands (not like flight simulator which seems to use MAC mouse commands). Etc. etc. I think you get the idea. I was just going to say that I'm surprised that Amiga World hasn't done this, but then I realized they get a lot of their money from software companies advertising in their magazine. I don't know maybe it would bring them more grief than it's worth to them. But *WE* could do it! We just need a list of specifications. Hey I'm not saying that it's *always* bad not to follow standards. But I'd like to know about any deviations and the why's before I shell out my $$. Also they should make a law that the copy protection scheme be legibly posted on the cover of any software package. Nothing infuriates me so much as to find out that I can't put a program on my hard disk, or if I do I'll still have to insert a "key" disk. Enough ... Marnix