Re: Information & Power /Copyrights

mark@unicorn.com
Mon, 10 May 1999 07:30:39 -0700 (PDT)

Michael S. Lorrey [mike@lorrey.com] wrote:
>ON the contrary, it is quite easy to establish an internet based system of >encrypted key registry approvals using a smartkey/PKI device.

Oh yes, you can spend a vast amount of time creating all these complicated profit protection schemes, but in the end it's totally pointless. The fact is, if you're selling information then at some point you have to display that information to the user, and at that point they can capture it in a free form and pass it on to anyone they desire. The only way to prevent this is to also have total control over the operating system and CPU as well as the software.

As for software, I've lost count of the number of companies who've lost my business because of their stupid dongles and profit protection crap; I just won't buy software which may suddenly refuse to run for its own bizarre reasons, and no company with a clue would buy software which will stop working if their Net connection goes down.

Mark