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Subject: The "Intelligent" Way To Copy Protect

Author: Graham Laight

Date: 02:55:53 04/19/01

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When is someone going to set up a web site where you can, in a simple and
straightforward way, play the chess program with the options you want in terms
of speed/style/strength etc?

Furthermore, by collecting usage statistics, the author could discover how
people REALLY use their products.

-g

On April 17, 2001 at 18:24:43, Scott Woods wrote:

>Hi Gerard,
>
>This subject is much discussed on this site.....
>
>The marketing companies that produce the software believe that this is an
>acceptable form of copy protection of their software.
>
>However, Joe public generally believe that this is "shooting mice with cannons"
>
>Obviously copy protection is needed to ensure the programmers/ companies
>livelyhood. - no-one would argue that. ( tempting fate here )
>
>
>However to have the CD inserted every time is just too much.
>
>There have been a lot of posts requesting "John Merlino" - the CM8K PR person
>here - to pass on the feelings of the CM community on this issue to the powers
>that be . ( I can't answer re: Shredder as I don't own it - however I believe
>the author posts here often enough - not sure if he has an influence on
>marketing though? - you can but try.)
>
>It is technically possible to circumvent the copy protection...( look hard
>enough on the web and I'm sure you will find something)
>This however, is not an action I would condone.
>
>What I would suggest is lobbying the author and marketing company involved - to
>review their copy protection routines to something more sensible in the next
>release.
>
>
>Quite simply - lobby and refuse to buy any future software that imposes such
>draconian measures as having the CD in 100% of the time.
>
>As the income dries up - the message will get through.
>Remember the only assets a software company has are...
>1/ The intellectual property
>and most importantly...
>2/ A customer base committed to buying 1/
>
>Without 2 - Bankruptcy!
>
>A win-win situation?
>====================
>For example the copy protection in CM7K was perfect - every 15-20 days or so it
>would ask you for the CD.
>
>It prevents piracy ( you do need the CD ), people will buy the software; Chess
>software is pretty cheap really and the inconvenience factor is low [ the
>biggest reason for hacking the protection - and people scouring the web for a
>hack?]
>
>And best of all, people will not get the hump that they can't play chess and
>listen to "Bat out of Hell" at the same time.   ;-)
>
>I dream of the day of doing such without having to swap CD's ad infinitim.
>
>Cheers
>Scott
>
>
>
>
>On April 17, 2001 at 16:32:26, Gerald Grimsley wrote:
>
>>Hello, I just bought a new computer and installed my chess programs, including
>>the Shredder 5 group, and CM8000.  My questions is that everytime I go to use
>>these programs, the computer asks for the original disk to be in the CD ROM
>>drive.
>>
>>This does not happen with shredder on my other computer with WIN98.  I do not
>>have CM8000 installed on that one to check it either.  Any thoughts in general
>>as to why the computer would ask for the original disk to be in place when this
>>should not be necessary?
>>Thanks in advance,
>>Gerald Grimsley



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