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From: jac423@leah.Albany.Edu (Julius A Cisek)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Software Development And Piracy (Spurred By FTL replies)
Summary: Sounds like blank rationalization to me...
Message-ID: <1334@leah.Albany.Edu>
Date: 7 Dec 88 19:40:16 GMT
References: <555@icus.islp.ny.us> <2363@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Organization: The University at Albany, Computer Services Center
Lines: 61



In article <2363@ddsw1.MCS.COM>, karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) writes:
> 	I've never copied a disk of non-crippled commercial software.  This
> 	is mainly due to (1) my sense of fair play, and (2) I'm not a
> 	thief.

> 	I HAVE copied crippled software (CPd things), mainly to see if
> 	they'll even BOOT on the hardware we use!  This is a relatively
> 	recent phenomena, and is inspired by the $250 worth of TRASH DISKS
> 	that I have (that once did boot, and did hold games of various
> 	descriptions).  These are programs that I paid for, and should be
> 	able to use, but fail to load on all our present hardware due to
> 	copy protection.

I'll get to this later.

> How about "I don't have money to throw down the drain on copy protected
> software that will either self-destruct or be useless when I buy a faster 
> (but still compatible by everyone else's standards) computer, and I refuse to 
> provide economic incentive to manufacturers who deliberately cripple their 
> products and limit their scope of usefulness."

> IMHO:  Copy Protection counts as a bug in my book; one that I _might_ be able
>        to live with if it stays the heck out of my way.  Intrusive, invasive,
>        or simply draconian CP measures count as a fatal bug.

> How does SSI come up with the 4:1 ratio?  I simply can't believe that half
> of these people would have paid money for the package if they couldn't
> pirate it -- it flies directly in the face of what I have experienced.

Not me, that's a very conservative ratio.

> All it takes is ONE company that doesn't cripple their products -- and all
> of the cripple-ware firms' business dries up overnight.

Yep, even though they may be the better software company...

> Btw: My relavent experience:
>      We publish and write Unix and Xenix software, as well as some DOS
>      material.  NONE of our products has or ever will be copy protected, 

Errr... How could you copy protect Unix software in the first place?


Well,  Let me make a few points. The reasons for copy protection are not
because companies are greedy; the users created the problem.  You  can't
complain  about your problems, when there are people out there who get a
kick out of cracking a game and spreading it. That  4:1  Ratio  is  very
conservative,  probably  because  the  Amiga community is mostly honest,
productive users. In the ST market, I would say the ratio is  more  like
10:1.  A  neighboor with an ST in my home town had EVERY single software
title ever released. He called himself a collector; 90% of his stuff was
pirated.

You  gave  many  reasons why companies should not copy-protect software,
now how about some ideas in how to stop piracy.
-- 
What about technology, computers, .------------------. J.A.Cisek
nuclear fusion?  I'm terrified of |Spectral Fantasies| jac423@leah.albany.edu
radiation, I hate the television. `------------------' jac423@rachel.albany.edu