NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #1/NN_1993_1.iso/spool/comp/sys/mac/programm/21034

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-08 | 2.6 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!usc!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!gatech!destroyer!cs.ubc.ca!unixg.ubc.ca!sainaney
From: [e-mail] (Narayan R. Sainaney)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: protection == !piracy
Date: 8 Jan 1993 21:44:41 GMT
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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    RE: Do not hassle the customer (piracy)

    Well, firstly, the customer is only hasseled IF a pirate copy
of the program is seen in circulation that originated from that customer
(Trace serial number). All commercial programs I have come across (regardless
of the company) have a method to identify the purchacer. Now are you saying
that a software company, should it come across a pirate copy of it's program,
would NOT attempt to trace the customer and "hassel" him/her (Be it through
legal channels or black listing the customer or something)??

    There is no doubt that any software company SHOULD take action
if a pirate copy of its program is found. If they didn't, then that
copyright/legal notice that comes with commercial software (And that they
paid a hefty sum to the lawyers for) would be brought to the level of
garbage.

    I however do agree...putting a list of names (or mug-shots) of
offenders in future releases of the software is not the best of ideas =).
But if a good idea was out there, we would not be wasting time discussing/
looking for one here...

    Finally, technical ristrictions to copying would go against the
primary role of computers (to enable the fast and free (sometimes) exchange
of information)...A software/legal option is the best. Actually, a legal
option is probably the best. Robbing a bank is illegal and the police
go all out to apprehend robbers. Few people rob banks (Comparitively =).
Software piracy is illegal. The police/software companies do not go all out
to apprehend violators. There are many software pirates with the result...
I don't mean to sound pessimestic but people do not always do the "moral"
thing...particularly when money is involved and when the chances of getting
caught are slim...(percentage wise)

    And finally, I ask you...if a pirate copy exists, whose fault is it?
The guy who gives it or the guy who gets it? Well, when the guy get's it,
chances are it'll spread so fast that the entire network would look
like a binary tree of a 1000+ data database =)

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