bjorn@dataio.UUCP (Bjorn Benson) (07/30/85)
In article <28853@lanl.ARPA> jp@lanl writes: >I think that Borland has a pretty good approach for reducing software >piracy. > ... >If other software producers would take heed, software piracy >would be a non-problem. Borland's method only works well for programs like compilers. I.e. programs that need an extensive reference manual. Data I/O sells a menu driven program to control its hardware which can be used by anyone (even our salesforce :-)) without a manual. How do we prevent copying?? Furthermore, there is the problem of medium sized shops where one copy of a program (compiler, editor, etc.) is bought and then everyone copies it. (one copy per PC) In this case only one manual is needed because everyone knows how to run the software and may only need the reference guide occasionally. I have cases in mind where one copy was sold and 6-9 were used... That's theft! Last but not least, my advice to software manufacturers: you NEED a low cost multiple unit, single site license. A case in point: we bought one copy of ABC from company XYZ (names changed) for $190. We found it useful. We wanted more copies. I called them for a "premission to copy" license and they wanted $220 for each copy I made!! I would have been willing to pay $200 for 5 copies ($40 each) because I didn't want a manual, support or anything. This pricing policy just encourages piracy among small-to-medium sized companies... Bjorn Benson ..!uw-beaver!entropy!dataio!bjorn (Legally I am responsible for what I say, but my employer is not.)
henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (08/02/85)
> Borland's method [hard-to-copy manual] only works well for programs > like compilers. I.e. programs that need an extensive reference manual. > Data I/O sells a menu driven program to control its hardware which can > be used by anyone (even our salesforce :-)) without a manual. How do we > prevent copying?? Try the method Borland uses with Sidekick, which similarly is eminently usable without the manual: charge extra for a non-copy-protected version. -- Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry