CompuServe Thread

I can understand protecting the software (especially if it's true that JERKS out there have been pirating Mirage — you know who you are, you criminals, and I do so hope your life of crime leads you to the fate you so richly deserve), but why a HARDWARE lock? Our parallel ports are about to fall off as it is what with 3DS, Liquid Speed, Xaos Pennello (which we STILL can't get to work!), etc. They don't need any MORE weight on them! The point is, hardware locks just aren't needed. Not when there are alternatives such as Schrieber's excellent system keying method. Schrieber's system also has the advantage that by simply copying the software to a disk and giving it to another user, you're giving them a crippled demo that will entice them to BUY the product legitimately — which they can then have "delivered" INSTANTLY by simply entering the correct key information for their system upon arrangement for payment! It is that method which made Schrieber's CD-ROM possible. They trust their keying method so well that they actually put nearly every IPAS they sell in full form on a CD-ROM sold for a nominal cost, knowing that people could only use them as crippled demos until they paid the full price for the ones they wanted to use for real. Yet once they do, they simply type a single DOS command and tell Schrieber the number that displays, and Schrieber tells them a number to enter, and voila! Instant fully-working software! That means NO SHIPPING COSTS (except the one-time shipping for the CD-ROM)! NO PACKAGING COSTS! Etc. Obviously Schrieber considers this method reliable, otherwise they wouldn't distribute the likes of Puppetteer via it.