Copy protection of registered programs
Euan Forrester
What are some relitivly easy ways to copy protect your program, so that
once someone has registered it, they can't simply give it to someone else?
I've thought of hidden files in different directories, and stuff like
that, but are those ideas really feasable?
Do people even bother with copy protection, the theory being that if
someone pirates your product, they probably weren't going to register it
anyway? Or is copy protection simply a hassle to registered users?
Please post your thoughts on the subject. Thanks!
Jim Davis
Euan Forrester <defo...@acs.ucalgary.ca> wrote:
I would say you are a relatively new to computers . This approach has
already been tried by the industry, particularly the retail industry.
What happens is people quit buying your program, and buy from
competitors. Customers hate it. Hackers love it. It gives them a
puzzle to figure out; then they share information on how to break it.
The retail industry dropped it. To a great extent it was ruining
them. People want something they can back up, and reinstall easily.
Jim Davis
Gerry Quinn
You can't really stop them copying your program, but you can arrange that
every copy has their name on it, by encoding it in the keyfile.
- Gerry
==================================================================
Mailto: ger...@indigo.ie (Gerry Quinn)
Original puzzlers (Windows or Amiga)-> http://indigo.ie/~gerryq
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Patrick Miller
> >>Do people even bother with copy protection, the theory being that if
> >>someone pirates your product, they probably weren't going to register it
> >>anyway? Or is copy protection simply a hassle to registered users?
> >>
> >>Please post your thoughts on the subject. Thanks!
> >>
> >I would say you are a relatively new to computers . This approach has
> >already been tried by the industry, particularly the retail industry.
> >What happens is people quit buying your program, and buy from
> >competitors. Customers hate it. Hackers love it. It gives them a
> >puzzle to figure out; then they share information on how to break it.
> >The retail industry dropped it. To a great extent it was ruining
> >them. People want something they can back up, and reinstall easily.
Don't be fooled by what I call, "Net Trix," a seemingly old, but growing
tactic to scheme free products from shareware programmers that should be
distributed with pay. Although this could develop into a lengthy
discussion, even an FAQ or a separate newsgroup itself, you need to be
aware of the various tactics used, such as the above described and more.
Throughout the Internet, you will notice a peculiar group of people:
Those who want everything to be free. You will notice these types of
people from their encouragement to:
a. NOT copy protect your work.
b. Distribute a FREE fully functional version of your shareware with an
"advanced" version available for pay.
c. NOT cripple your shareware in ANY way.
Those who want your products for free will tell you, "Hey, what you lose
in stolen copies and lost sales, you more than make up in customer
goodwill!"
But I would like to ask you, at what point does a person become a
customer? I was under the impression that a person became a customer
once s/he BOUGHT something - not received something for FREE!
All over the internet you will find advice to give away things for free.
FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE. But ask yourself, "Who is telling you this?"
Do you really think these are people who wish for you to get ahead? Do
you really think that?? These people who are "advising" you to
distribute FREELY are people who WANT your "stuff" for FREE.
If I wanted your program and didn't want to pay for it, I would tell you
to:
a. NOT copy protect your work.
b. Distribute a FREE fully functional version of your shareware with an
"advanced" version available for pay.
c. NOT cripple your shareware in ANY way.
Then I would make copies of it and share it with my friends who want
free stuff, use the FREE version and look for MORE free stuff. Oh yeah,
I might "glorify" your product in an advertisement or something. But you
would never see a dollar from me.
I suspect established shareware authors may get angry and reading this,
and possibly try to refute its arguement with evidence of a FEW sales.
However, anger is the first step. Then hopefully (if I somehow
miraculously made my point) will come the thought, "Hey, maybe something
IS wrong with this tactic!" "Why have I allowed myself to be led into
this way of distributing my product? No wonder I'm not making any
money!! I'VE BEEN GIVING ALL MY STUFF AWAY FOR FREE!!!"
Tsk tsk.
--
REGI$TER ONLINE! http://registerline.com
Download the shareware version of Word Dialer
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/p_redei2
[A FREE promotion for Regi$ter Online! Shareware Authors]
Patrick Miller
Jim Davis wrote:
>
> Patrick Miller <sup...@registerline.com> wrote:
>
> ><clipped a bunch of stuff irrelevent to the thread>
>
> Since you used my posting as a resource to write your completely
> irrelevant tripe, I assume you were trying to tie my response to your
> anger over people not registering shareware. For your information,
> the thread is not about registrations. The thread is about copy
> protecting software after it's registered. If you want to discuss the
> merits of protecting unregistered shareware start your own thread. I
> believe past history of such threads will guarantee plenty of
> responses.
>
> The subject of copy protection after the sale is worthy of it's own
> discussion without being covered over by your trash.
And as I so rightfully predicted, "I suspect established shareware
authors may get angry at reading this, ....."
Jim Davis
Jeff Vogel
In article <335512...@registerline.com>, sup...@registerline.com wrote:
> Those who want your products for free will tell you, "Hey, what you lose
> in stolen copies and lost sales, you more than make up in customer
> goodwill!"
And don't forget my favorite:
"Well, I would never register a program that was limited in any way. The
shareware developer's lack of absolute faith in my impeccable honesty
offends me to the core of my being."
I've long maintained that there are some users who we are better off without.
- Jeff Vogel, Keeper of Exile, Spiderweb Software, Inc.
Check out Exile: Escape From the Pit, Exile II: Crystal Souls,
and Exile III: Ruined World, the hit shareware rpg's for
Macintosh and Windows 3.1/95. Find them at http://www.spidweb.com
Kenneth Vogt
My explanation to anyone who feels I don't trust them is this: I trust
_you_, it's everybody else that I'm worried about.
--
O O O O
O O O O Kenneth Vogt
O O O O
O O O O Ken...@rkymtnhi.com
O O O
Euan Forrester
On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Kenneth Vogt wrote:
> Jeff Vogel wrote:
> >
> > In article <335512...@registerline.com>, sup...@registerline.com wrote:
> > > Those who want your products for free will tell you, "Hey, what you lose
> > > in stolen copies and lost sales, you more than make up in customer
> > > goodwill!"
> >
> > And don't forget my favorite:
> >
> > "Well, I would never register a program that was limited in any way. The
> > shareware developer's lack of absolute faith in my impeccable honesty
> > offends me to the core of my being."
> >
> > I've long maintained that there are some users who we are better off without.
>
> My explanation to anyone who feels I don't trust them is this: I trust
> _you_, it's everybody else that I'm worried about.
I agree with the lot of you. But, what do you do about people copying your
program *after* they've registered it (I agree 100% with limiting the
shareware release to "encourage" registration)? Or does that just give
hackers a new toy to play with? Of course, I would stick the registered
person's name into my program, but is that enough?
Wayne Borean
Euan Forrester (defo...@acs.ucalgary.ca) wrote:
: What are some relitivly easy ways to copy protect your program, so that
: once someone has registered it, they can't simply give it to someone else?
: I've thought of hidden files in different directories, and stuff like
: that, but are those ideas really feasable?
Not always. I run WIN3.1 and DOS 6.22, without either a Windows or a DOS
directory. My computer isn't set up in what most people would consider a
rational manner (on the other hand most people wouldn't consider me
rational).
You can't be sure that specific directories not related to your
application are going to be there. And you can't dump files in the root
directory, as there is a 255 file/directory limit.
: Do people even bother with copy protection, the theory being that if
: someone pirates your product, they probably weren't going to register it
: anyway? Or is copy protection simply a hassle to registered users?
Good question. Some people won't register anything. Some will register
anything they like. Some won't touch anything with nag screens, others
don't care.
I prefer not having copy protection on software I own, I have 3 kids, and
things like code sheets either get eaten or lost.
However I like getting paid for what I write, and I can understand others
wanting to get paid too.
There's no easy answer. You'll have to select the one you like best.
Wayne
--
Wayne Borean - AKA The Mad Hatter
I'll expand your universe....
Gerry Quinn
In article <Pine.A41.3.96.970419...@acs5.acs.ucalgary.ca>, Euan Forrester <defo...@acs.ucalgary.ca> wrote:
>I agree with the lot of you. But, what do you do about people copying your
>program *after* they've registered it (I agree 100% with limiting the
>shareware release to "encourage" registration)? Or does that just give
>hackers a new toy to play with? Of course, I would stick the registered
>person's name into my program, but is that enough?
>
Probably not, but it's hard to do more without causing the honest user a lot
of inconvenience.
In principle, you could link your protection to some aspect of his hardware,
but then when he upgrades, your program stops working, and that's bad news for
everyone. And everybody (pirate or honest) hates dongles, code wheels and the
like.
If you are providing some sort of ongoing service to registered users, that
should help.