🚀 go-pugleaf

Well the feeback has started to wane on the copy protection scheme issue,  
although the topic of pricing and piracy is still going strong. I have  
tallied the results of what I have received in personal e-mail and what  
I've caught of the posts to Usenet. I've filtered put responses that  
didn't directly address the issue of copy protection. While not entirely  
scientific here are the findings:

No protection at all: 42%
Launch metering/Floating license: 17%
Tied to host ID: 12%
In favor of copy protection, but not the hassle of obtaining keys: 10%
Either host ID or user ID (either is acceptable): 8%
Key file: 8%
Serialization: 3%
Software should be free: 1 individual

Thanks to everybody that responded.

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Interesting quotes:

"Make it free software.  GNU survives, why shouldn't you?"

"Both username and machine serial# links are *completely* unnacceptable."

"It's easy.  If it's copy protected, I won't buy it.  I've sent products  
back because of that."

"If you're expecting or experiencing a problem, change your price  
structure."

"...unfortunately, a 2-user license doesn't work very well for 30+  
people." (!)

"..and as i have discovered, companies who have implemented these schemes  
have yet to provide adequate support... i have spent as long as 20 minutes  
on hold trying to get such a key only to have the phone disconnect."
-- 
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Gordon Van Huizen           vox: 619.488.9411  fax: 619.488.3045
Metrosoft                   gvh@metrosoft.com [NeXTmail welcome]
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