Chuck writes:
> The main problem is that no software protection scheme will
> work if someone decides to crack it. If the OS can load it
> to run, then it can be cracked.

Copy protection schemes are generally not put in to stop crackers from
distributing copies of your software on the net.  These people will do
that anyway, no matter how clever you try to be.

Copy protection is most commonly used to protect against the laziness of
*honest* users who may find that installing a few extra copies is easier
than bothering to license them legally.  This sort of customer
*generally* does not go hunting for a "cracked" copy of the software at
that point.  So copy protection tends to help keep the honest people
honest and won't slow down the real crooks for very long.

Unless your potential customer base intersects with one of the groups
that thinks warez are k00l (generally young males), the fact that
cracked copies of your software can be downloaded from hundreds of
servers around the world may not have a great effect on your sales.

Whether people value your application enough to put up with whatever
copy protection mechanism you inflict on them is a different issue.
It's generally more acceptable on high-priced software that runs on a
small number of systems than it is on cheap software that needs to be
installed on every user's workstation.

G.

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