Transferring Distribution Tapes

[Kerien Fitzpatrick]

For all those that haven't found out yet (I am believing my FE on this
one) - Sun has copy-protected all of their SPARC 4.1 tapes and their
4.0.3c tapes (at least the ones I have).  The Field Engineer told me this
was done since SPARC was an open architecture and they didn't want their
OS illegally copied and run on another SPARC-based machine.

I was mildly (understatement) unhappy hearing this.  There are some sharp
programmer types at Sun - why couldn't they come up with a scheme that
would not shaft their CUSTOMERS [remember us - we paid for your hardware &
software and now you make life inconvenient]!!!  Seems to me there a
couple of unique id's - ethernet & host.  Now another manufacturer can
copy the hostid, but the enet would be a risky copy.

OK, so maybe my proposed scheme is tougher to implement.  If someone wants
to copy your software - what is to stop them from cloning an installed
disk.  This still works quite well.

I apologize for the flame, but it always irritates me that major companies
choose to inconvenience their customers instead of expending more effort
to aviod that inconvenience.  What can we expect next?

**********************************
Disclaimer :: all flames are my own......my employer may not agree,
but I would bet at least a few people out there agree on this one.
**********************************

Kerien Fitzpatrick
Field Robotics Center
The Robotics Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412)268-6564
Internet: fitz at frc2.frc.ri.cmu.edu