From: johnp3 AT idt DOT net (Xyloplax) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp Subject: Re: Copy protection and self-modifying EXE's in DJGPP? Date: Wed, 25 Jun 1997 22:19:31 GMT Organization: Damage, Inc Lines: 36 Message-ID: <33b19186.8856344@news.idt.net> References: <6ZRpd0exr5B AT jocokko DOT edition DOT bonbit DOT org> NNTP-Posting-Host: ppp-31.ts-6.nyc.idt.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp Precedence: bulk On Mon, 23 Jun 1997 01:00:00 +0000, kay AT edition DOT bonbit DOT org (Kay Hayen) wrote: > >Give fair users a chance to be fair. E.g. insert a "i have paid" checkbox >that makes a nagscreen go away. This brings you more, because most people >won't lie. > What planet do you live on? I and everyone I know would cheerfully check off that box without even thinking and nary a twang of guilt would result. I think the only reason why cracked versions of programs arent used by EVERYBODY is because its a virus Russian Roulette, and people are rightfully scared. The best way is offer an unregistered nagscreen and/or time-crippled version and a separate registered version which will be sent to them upon request. However, dont do stuff like one program did :"Type the words "I am unregistered", check off the checkbox and click "OK"" each time the program starts up, since no one will want to try out the program for any length of time that way. If it is a low cost program, then dont go overboard; the effort to implement high level protection is not worth the cost. But, if you are offering something you put a large amount of blood and sweat into and require income from to support yourself and a family, then make sure the chance of a cracked version being made is minimized (its just a matter of time if its a high demand program). Go on the web, search under "hacking" or "cracking" or whatever, and try to get your hands on "How to Crack" by +Orc; you will then see what you are up against and why software piracy is such a massive epidemic (he even covers self-modifying code). -- John Pavlakis johnp3 AT idt DOT net "You can lead a yak to water, but you can't teach an old dog to make a silk purse out of a pig in a poke." -- Opus Penguin