🚀 go-pugleaf

>I looking for any hint about copy protection. I would like to avoid
>"low-end-user" copy my program but my boss doesn't want to use a dongle. sigh...
>So, if you know some useful software tricks to avoid copy...

I am almost vehemently anti-copy-protection, but I will give you what help I
can.

1) Don't use on-disk copy protection (i.e., requiring a key disk).  It's highly
effective, but one bad sector will effectively destroy that user's copy of
the software.

2) Documentation copy protection (look up words or pictures in the manual) are
effective on people who have limited contact with those who are capable of
circumventing it (high-school level and below, though growing network access
is making unprotects more and more available).  Those who wish to distribute
it will break the protection, but anyone can photocopy the manual.

3) Release it as a CD-ROM title.  Most people I know won't go to the trouble
to copy a CD-ROM program, no matter how good it is.  This limits your market
somewhat, but...

4) Make the price reasonable (i.e., maximum $50, preferably $30-$40), and
put lots of "goodies" in the box (nice manuals, strategy guides, posters, 
plastic toys, maps, etc.).  Not really expensive for a mass-marketed product,
and in combination with a good price, makes it worthwhile to purchase one's 
own copy.  The Ultima series prior to Ultima VII is a good example of this.
I got my own copy of Ultima VI, for around $40, just so I had my own copy 
of the cloth map and the extremely well-written game manuals.  I bought
Ultima VII, Part II for $60 and returned it because the manual was crappy
and the nice cloth map was replaced by a low-quality silkscreen.  I expect
more out of a company, especially now that they have the resources of EOA
behind them.

jafager