csc@watmath.UUCP (Computer Sci Club) (03/29/85)
I believe that while a program that goes out without protection is asking for trouble (especially if it happens to be a game), I think that not enough software(developers|producers|distributors) have given any amount of thought to alternative ways of protecting software besides disk-based protections (DBP -- no ma! not another acronym -- aargh). DBP has all sorts of obvious short-comings. Disk errors mean that I can't make back-ups for myself, and on the C-64 anyway, DISK ERROR -> HEAD BEATS ITSELF AGAINST ALIGNMENT BLOCK -> HEAD GOES OUT OF ALIGNMENT SOONER OR LATER Not pleasing. An extremely sensible alternative is the one that Batteries Included uses. Their disks come 100% back-up-able. The dongle that comes with the package ensures that only 1 person (presumably the person who paid for the thing) can use it at a time. He can, though, make himself copies of the software in case his disk drive is visited by the munch-monster. Other benefits are: To illegally copy (usably) (sp?) the software, you must either a) make yourself a dongle (not likely for the average or even above-average software) or b) go in and take out the software that checks to make sure that the dongle is there. While this is possible, it is a whole lot more work than the same thing for DBP software, since the dongle has chips in it, and can be used to decrypt data as it comes in from the disk; or can have tiny routines hidden inside it, etc. While games are often (?) pirated before they reach the shelves, PaperClip (tm) took (I believe) nearly a year to crack. While the protection is not 100% proof, It certainly makes things a whole lot bleaker for the pirate. I have written software for Batteries Included, and have written the software routines to use the dongle. I never expect to see a broken copy of my program. Three shortcomings of dongles: First, a real one. I spent a LONG time writing the protection routines that serve to ensure that the dongle is, in fact, out there. I went so far as to re-write portions of my program to rely on the routines that check for the dongle. Without this, the potential pirate removes the routines, and -PRESTO- no dongle reqd. Real effort has to be made if you want the protection to stick. Of course, this goes for any type of software, not only dongle/key/card/chip based software. Second, a not-so-real one. It costs more to make the protection dongle based. It does. But you (presumably) sell more copies. At least for my software, the price wasn't affected. The thing is just a hunk of plastic with a couple of $0.50 chips inside. And one I don't know about. On the C-64, the joystick ports (where the dongle gets plugged) are I/O ports (note the O). I don't know about other machines. For machines without joysticks, if there is an open port lying around, it doubtlessly could be used. Problems obviously arise if you write a game that uses 2 joysticks. Since the programs that Batteries provides with keys are either utility programs or educational programs, this hasn't been a problem. The bottom line here is that protection does not necessarily have to intrude on the end user. He does not have to wait 6-8 weeks to replace dead disks, as he is free to make as many backups as he wants. Is anybody else using this approach to protection? If so, I would appreciate hearing from them, or people who know of them. From the wars on the Spanish Main, Gilles Dignard c/o watmath!csc
tsc2597@acf4.UUCP (Sam Chin) (04/07/85)
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What is a dongle? I assume it is some kind of device you plug into an I/O
port. What if that breaks? Burns out? I lose it. Everytime I want to move
machines I have to move my dongle (work on my PC at home).
I've seen some which use the PC's serial port. Does that mean I have to buy
a serial port or constantly plug and unplug my printer/modem from the port.
If the dongle is plugged into a empty chip slot, does that mean I have to
open my machine and plug the IC in risking bending the pins/zapping it with
static. I think I prefer buying copy protected disks. At least the ones that
I know I can back up with some nibble copier.
Sam Chin
allegra!cmcl2!acf4!tsc2597