On Fri, Mar 23, 2007 at 10:26:39AM -0700, Bob Blick wrote:
> (I'm cc'ing this to HiTech since it seems applicable)
> 
> Most discussion here seems to center around copies
> floating around on the net. Protecting your software
> against people who wouldn't pay for software seems
> like a waste of time to me.

Here's the problem Bob: Opportunity is often the only difference between a
large segment of the potential user base buying or obtaining for free. If a
company takes away the opportunity to freely download, part of this
population will buy. While I agree there is a segment who would not purchase,
it's the segment that would purchase if there were no easy free options
that's the real target.

You're probably not the problem, other than the fact that protection schemes
tick you off. You'd buy because it's what you're supposed to do.
Unfortunately when it comes to digital entities floating around the Internet,
folks who are generally honest often can't resist picking up the "free" SWAG
simply because it's there and it's convenient to download.

> But how about multiple installations in-house? That
> seems to be the use that CAD and dev tool makers are
> focusing on today.

It's an orthogonal issue to a point. The problem is that it's difficult
to separate a legitimate user with multiple installations and a group
of freeloaders. One way to do it is to issue the legit user multiple
valid keys.

> However you will certainly annoy your paying customers
> more than anyone else.

Unfortunately that segment is probably small enough that you can afford to
lose it if you can in fact corral the larger quasi-legit segment that would
buy if there were no other options.

> I've been a HiTech C customer
> for 9 years, but I am absolutely not renewing my
> HiTech C contract next year now that the product
> requires internet activation. HiTech could disappear
> overnight and my compiler become uninstallable when I
> replace my hard drive. Even if they stay in business,
> needing to justify to them the reason when I replace
> my hard drive and need to reinstall? It makes me feel
> like a cop has asked me if I know why he pulled me
> over.

All because you are a legit customer. But if a company is losing 90% of its
potential customer base to free copying and it can recapture even half
of that group with activation, how can a company afford not to go that route
even if it pisses the 10% of truly legit users off? Even if they lose that
entire 10% population (and all of their referrals) would it come close to
matching the %45 percent of folks who actually walk away from a locked door
instead of trying to pick it or kick it in?

BTW all numbers in the above example pulled from where the sun don't shine! ;-)

> So I vote with my pocketbook. Paying for software is
> one thing. Renting it is quite another, I'd rather use
> an inferior product. Or you could say HiTech has
> become inferior because of activation.

I think it's just reality. We all know folks who wouldn't dare think to take
a piece of gum from the store without paying, yet downloads software music
and movies with abandon. Culturally this segment of the population has
brainwashed themselves into thinking that it isn't stealing and that it isn't
wrong. But just a simple thumblock type reminder (such as activation) is
often enough to deter them from straying.

The problem is how to have real protection with as much transparancy as 
possible? But frankly no matter how transparent the protection process can
be made, it's going to intrude on legit users. It's easy to blame the
company, but it seems to me it's the users who are not honest and won't
follow the rules that are the real cause.

BAJ
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