From: segross@uci.edu (STEVE GROSS) Subject: Re: How to the disks copy protected. Nntp-Posting-Host: hsis3.ut.hsis.uci.edu Organization: UC Irvine College of Medicine Lines: 52 In article <1993Apr23.171020.23982@csus.edu> kschang@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu (Kuo-Sheng (Kasey) Chang) writes: >In article rcstage1@urc.tue.nl (Guido Klemans) writes: >>In article <1993Apr22.163605.24784@csus.edu> kschang@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu (Kuo-Sheng (Kasey) Chang) writes: >>[byteocide] >>>What I believe the companies should do is implement the above plus >>>a special patch once the user registers that loudly exclaims upon bootup >>>"REGISTERED TO XXXXX -- address, city, state zip" and disables the above. >>>Two benefits: 1) encourages registration, 2) cuts down on pirating and >>>makes it more traceable, because if the patch's registration message is >>>encrypted, it will be quite hard to change, and therefore provides a >>>stable trail of who allowed their copy out of their hands, and thus >>>violated their license agreement. >>> >>You take two copies with a different registration id, compare them byte for >>byte and you know where they are located. Usually you will be able to >>find out what is what after that. >Probably, but the point is THE COMPANY make the registration patch, NOT >YOU. Sure, you can probably find another registerred user and compare notes, >but WHY? It's not hindering you in any way unless you are just hacking. >[Problem about people who cut TOO MUCH from quoting...] >>And what keeps me form registering as John Doe from the company Public >>Domain, Yellow Brick Road 1, Tinseltown or something??? >Nothing, but if you read my WHOLE suggestion, I'm saying that you register >via MAIL by mailing in your registration card, THEN the company send you >the patch which includes the info you put on the registration card. >--Kasey Chang I'm glad to see this idea come up because I've had something similar in mind. What if you had an authorization key that computed from the name and address data. When the user registers, you don't even need to send executable code, just compute his/her key and send him/her instructions to enter in the appropriate place the following: Name=Joe Doe Address=123 Main Street City=Anytown, CA key=ldslfoialsdkcdsngsikhsfd Every user needs a unique key. The executable can propagate as much as you like, the author can respond to the registration by e-mail, post card, whatever. Unauthorized users would have to put up with someone else's name showing up (maybe on a main menu screen as well as a startup message). Authorized users can make as many copies as they like, upgrade their machines, whatever. The main motivation here is guilt and irritation at seeing someone other than yourself as the "registered owner".