info-mac@utcsrgv.UUCP (info-mac) (06/12/84)
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 84 15:22:46 pdt From: Bill Croft <uw-beaver!croft@safe> To: info-mac@sumex Subject: posting instructions for copying 'protected' software Cc: croft@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA, pattermann@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA Info-mac has received several messages from folks explaining how to copy 'protected' software. We cannot release such messages for several reasons: First, it would open both you (the sender) and Stanford (the resender) to lawsuit action by the software company. Second, have you really thought out what happens when a copy-protection scheme is exposed? That's right, the schemes get more and more arcane with disk speed changes, encrypted sector numbers, etc., etc. Very soon the protection scheme begins to interfere with the usability and reliability of the distribution disks. With the Macintosh this is even more critical since resource files, fonts, the finder, etc. must operate smoothly in a non-paranoid fashion. Exposing the scheme is also self-defeating, since the company will soon change it and thus you will no longer be able to copy the disks. So please stop sending us such messages. If you want to 'crack' a protection scheme, consider it as a puzzle you have solved yourself; if people can't figure out how to crack it on their own (or if they are simply honest), then they SHOULDNT be copying it. --Bill Croft & Ed Pattermann