bxw@ccadfa.adfa.oz.au (Brad Willcott) (06/22/91)
mmccorm@d.cs.okstate.edu (McCormick Martin) writes: >If you use a version of DOS which is earlier than 4.00, the serial number >will be copied right along with the rest of the diskette.. If you want >several disks with the same serial number, just boot your machine with >DOS 3.2 or 3.3, for example and use the "DISKCOPY" program to do the job. You can't 'DISKCOPY' a hard disk! The idea is for the RUN-TIME protection of programs that are installed onto a hard disk. I DON'T accept the idea of copy-protection, because at best, it is a means of tricking MS-DOS. At worst, it can cause havoc with your file system, including NOT being able to de-fragment your 'copy-protected' files, or after a disk crash, running the protected programs after restoration from a disk(ette)/tape backup (something we should ALL be creating regularly). I already have it in mind to incorporate this idea into a future release of a major product that I've helped to develop. Ofcause, this will limit its use to those who have MS-DOS 4.xx or later, but with the advent of 5.00 and its inherrent advantages to the users of 286/386/486 PCs, I don't think that it will be a problem. The application requires atleast a 286 PC anyway! -- Brad Willcott, ACSnet: bxw@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz Computing Services, Internet: bxw@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au Australian Defence Force Academy, UUCP:!uunet!munnari.oz.au!ccadfa.oz!bxw Northcott Dr. Campbell ACT Australia 2600 +61 6 268 8584 +61 6 268 8150 (Fax)