Copy protection

[Barry Fruitman]

Hi all,

Can anyone out there recommend some copy protection techniques or a source of copy protection
techniques for Windows programs?

Thanks!

Barry Fruitman

[David Elliott]

In article <1993Nov25.1...@nmx701.uucp> ba...@nmx701.uucp (Barry Fruitman) writes:
>Can anyone out there recommend some copy protection techniques or a source of copy protection
>techniques for Windows programs?

I tried to reply via email, but your address isn't handled by my site.

Windows has so far been generally free from copy protection. The
most common forms I've seen are very basic:

1. Ask for a serial number. This may seem insidious, but you'd be
surprised how many people balk at this.

2. Code-book. This involves having a random question pop up that
requires the manual. This is usually used for games.

Dongles and other systems do exist, but aren't that common yet. Some
people doing CD-ROM-based software have been discussing ideas to make
the programs only run from CD-ROM (e.g., allocate all remaining space
to a huge file that has to be there and complete for the program to
work).

The main thing to consider when looking into copy protection is whether
the increased revenues will offset the decreased sales. There are a
lot of people who won't buy copy-protected software, and many who will
buy it if there isn't a choice, but will feel no sense of customer
loyalty, and if a competing product without copy protection becomes
available, they'll switch. I personally don't like being considered
a criminal in advance, but I put myself in this second category - if
I need it, I'll put up with it.

You also need to consider whether the scheme you use will increase your
support requirements. No copy protection scheme works well enough
that there is zero extra trouble. Even the code-book scheme requires
dealing with people who lost their manuals (and are pretty angry that
you can't help them right now over the phone).

Note: This isn't a complete diatribe against copy protection. I
realize that there's a lot of people copying software, and companies
need to protect thier investments. On the other hand, there are a
lot more successful products that aren't copy protected than ones that
are...
--
David Elliott - d...@netcom.com - (408)735-8362