bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig) (05/18/89)
In article <616@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> csachs@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Colin Sachs) writes: >I am seeking information regarding any software package which would >allow one to keep people from copying software from a hard disk on >a Macintosh computer. Tall order, I know, but my "boss" wants me to >check into the possibility of one existing. Any information relating >to such a program would be appreciated. Please e-mail directly to me. The System and the Finder both control file odds and ends. There's got to be some code in there somewhere that controls copying files. Therefore, isn't it possible to patch the System and/or Finder to either remove or alter the code that allows copying files? I'm not familiar with the way that the Macintosh file manager is laid out, but I think that it would be at least possible to make the Finder cease to recognize drag-copying - so when you attempt to drag an application to your disk, nothing happens (the file is not copied). I know that here at Princeton, at least, a brain-damaged System might be useful. If the System didn't know how to copy files, then people who use public Macs couldn't put stuff on, or copy stuff off, them. Of course, they wouldn't be able to drag-copy their papers from the hard drive to their floppies, either - so they just open the file with their favorite word processor and use "Save As...", assuming they didn't have enough foresight to put the document on their floppy in the first place. Sure, this copy protection scheme can be circumvented, but it might just be a workable deterrent to blatant copying. Has this approach been tried before? How difficult would it be to implement? -- | Brian S. Kendig /\ +----+ /\ of Power | bskendig | | Computer Engineering / Triforces! \ Courage | @phoenix.Princeton.EDU | | Princeton University +----+ \/ +----+ Wisdom | @PUCC.BITNET | | "Estu la Forteco kun vi." - Obi-Wan Kenobi | @somewhere_past_Betelgeuse |