🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Jul31.220223.8875@novell.com> mwalker@novell.com (Mel Walker)  
writes:
> My point is that it's still easier to steal software. If I wanted to steal
> a copy of Excel, how would a company stop me? Checking out copies wouldn't
> work. Copy protection in any form wouldn't work (assuming that I am capable
> of breaking copy protection, or a least making a duplicate of a disk). I
> fail to see how a company could "guard" software. How do you effectively
> guard software without totally restricting access to it (i.e. buying a copy
> then not letting anyone use it)?

Restrictions to computer access can be very uncomfortable for the work  
environment. There are ways to allow only certain people access to writeable  
media, modems, etc., but this would make people unhappy! A company would have  
to weigh this against the probability of measures like the SDA raids being  
instituted from outside.

> In fact, I'd like to know which companies are the "many companies" you
> speak of, and just how much is "fairly successful at foiling copying", and
> how do they measure their success?

I would think very few companies will actually broadcast the amount of copying  
that occurs at their site, but you're right - I should gather more specifics. 

Anyone out there know what, if any, measures have been taken at sites where  
there have been SDA raids, or other reasons for concern about copying?

The SDA claims in their literature that companies can and do take measures  
agains copying. They provide a kit that monitors at least networked systems  
against duplicate software on-line. Software on servers can be restricted by  
limiting access to servers to people who actually need to use the applications.  
Application disks can be locked away in a drawer. Disk-drive access can be  
provided on an "as-needed" basis, so that casual copying is a bit more  
difficult. Of course, if a company found that it was not experiencing loss of  
its "upgrade coupons", no such measures would be needed.

Also, building a unique ID into each computer in some form might help (as is  
already the case with many workstations), but this would be somewhat similar to  
requiring every printing press to be registered, and this would have  
implications for freedom of speech.

My concern is not with how tight an environment can be made (and how clever a  
breaker would have to be), but with the uncomfortable situation of an employee  
who would like to see intellectual property rights respected, but finds himself  
in an environment that encourages copying. If a company had some incentive to  
limit copying, as they currently have incentives to limit loss of hardware,  
they would find some measures to promote this.

No-one can prevent theft of hardware or other real-world possessions, either,  
but some measures help.

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