home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Path: sparky!uunet!sun-barr!ames!pacbell.com!pacbell!oracle!pyramid!infmx!news
- From: robertw@informix.com (Robert Weinberg)
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
- Subject: Re: SPA piracy raid: Call for Solutions
- Message-ID: <1992Jul24.151616.4456@informix.com>
- Date: 24 Jul 92 15:16:16 GMT
- References: <906701.2A686D5A@cmhgate.fidonet.org>
- Sender: news@informix.com (Usenet News)
- Organization: Informix Software, Inc.
- Lines: 59
-
- In article <906701.2A686D5A@cmhgate.fidonet.org>
- Adam.Frix@p18.f20.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix) writes:
- > wrr3118@tamsun.tamu.edu (Rick Russell) writes:
- >
- > RR> This is what really bugs me. If some goofus took my copy of
- > RR> a program and sent it for an upgrade without my knowledge,
- > RR> I would be seriously pissed. Unfortunately, the vendor's "no
- > RR> questions asked" policy prevents me from finding out who was
- > RR> responsible.
- >
- > well, if someone stole my computer, I'd be upset, too. So I try to arrange
- > things so that it's difficult as possible to steal my computer. Why should
- we
- > be any looser with our original disks? They're as valuable as the computer.
- > In some cases, more so. So put them where they can't be stolen.
- >
- > And I think the original idea was a good starting point. It can always be
- > modified; for example, you want to find out who upgraded the copy you bought
- > but was stolen from you. OK, so the publisher asks you for a copy of the
- > receipt for that purchase. You send it to the publisher, and the publisher
- > sends you the name and address of the person who upgraded your copy. (This
- > will only work if every copy of a piece of software was serialized, and the
- > serial number was included on the original sales receipt.)
-
- The problem here is that you are again protecting the original purchaser, who
- thereby loses the incentive to guard his software against copying.
-
- Of course, we would love to know that once we purchase software, we have a
- handle on the upgrade path. But, if the original purchaser's name were kept on
- file by the publisher, legal action could always be brought against anyone
- trying to take over the upgrade path.
-
- This is logical, but then the original purchaser would have no reason to guard
- his software against being copied all over the place, since no-one but the
- original purchaser would ever dare send for the upgrade out of fear of arrest.
-
- Your point is very important, though - the original purchaser will have a
- receipt, thus distinguishing himself from anyone else sending in a pirated copy
- with embedded "upgrade coupon". However, the publisher could clearly state, in
- the licensing agreement, that receipts are only recognized for, say, the first
- 90 days after purchase for support purposes. Once upgrade time comes, the
- publisher would never release the name and address of people to whom the
- upgrade was sent.
-
- "Upgrade coupon" software fails to emulate real-life possessions in that you
- cannot call the cops to track down your lost goods, but it might succeed in
- emulating the "lose-ability" of real-world goods and cause the owner to share
- with the software publisher the loss due to copying.
-
- This is tough for the original owner (I'd hate to lose my upgrade this way),
- but maybe not as nasty as waiting for an SDA raid.
-
- ********* MY OPINIONS, not those of my employer! **************
-
- +==============================+===============================+
- | Rob Weinberg | Workstation publications tech |
- | Email : robertw@informix.com | Graphic designer |
- | Voice : 415-926-6754 | <imagine your ad here> |
- +==============================+===============================+
-