25 Dec
2000
25 Dec
'00
1:08 a.m.
At 10:19 AM 12/22/00 -0500, Peter Wayner wrote:
I don't see how they will be able to distinguish between the truth and a lie when a guy calls up and say, "uh, my hard disk crashed. I need to install it on a new machine." They either authorize it or they don't. In fact, they'll probably have to automate the process because it's so expensive to have an actual human on the other end.
Just a historical anecdote. Back in the old days, software could be linked to the unique ID on Sun motherboards. To move software to a new machine, you called and maybe faxed something signed (with a pen) to the effect that you weren't ripping them off. This was before the software-based floating licenses became popular. dh