pirated software

[wmhein at aol.com]

How about the contest organizers supplying the callsigns of stations
submitting .BIN files to K1EA Software, with similar info forwarded to
NA/K3LR and N6TR.  The software companies could then send postcards to
unregistered users gently suggesting they become registered users.

The simple facts:  if K1EA, K3LR/K8CC, and N6TR don't receive fair
compensation for their efforts, they may not be motivated to keep improving
their programs.  (Personally, I'm looking forward to a versions of CT, NA and
N6TR's program which will run on a Sharp Wizard or a Apple Newton).

Bill AA6TT

>From Jim Reisert AD1C  18-Nov-1993 1122 <reisert at wrksys.enet.dec.com>  Thu Nov 18 16:17:27 1993
From: Jim Reisert AD1C  18-Nov-1993 1122 <reisert at wrksys.enet.dec.com> (Jim Reisert AD1C 18-Nov-1993 1122)
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 93 11:17:27 EST
Subject: Bootleg software
Message-ID: <9311181617.AA27713 at us1rmc.bb.dec.com>

Pete Smith wrote:

>Since I'm (sorta) in the software business, let me just endorse Jim's 
>(AD1C's) comment about "marking" software with the registered user's call.

Well, CT already does this, the registered owner's name and callsign appear
on the initial setup screen.  Except for the embarrassment factor (is a
single-op who pirates the software really going to be embarrassed?), the
program is in no way impaired in use by the pirate.

What I tried to suggest is something that binds some of the functionality of
the program to the owner's callsign.  As Dave, KY1H reminded me, there is an
obvious problem when a station owner supplies CT to a guest op who's going
to use his or her own callsign.

73 - Jim AD1C

>From Smith, Pete" <PSmith at codei.hq.nasa.gov  Thu Nov 18 19:43:00 1993
From: Smith, Pete" <PSmith at codei.hq.nasa.gov (Smith, Pete)
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 93 11:43:00 PST
Subject: FW: Bootleg software
Message-ID: <2CEBD04E at ms.hq.nasa.gov>


Sorry, I forgot to sign this the first time out, and I feel awkward about 
anonymous messages.  Apologies for the extra bandwidth.  Pete N4ZR 
(psmith at codei.hq.nasa.gov)
 ----------
From: CQ-Contest-Relay
To: CQ-Contest
Subject: Bootleg software
Date: Thursday, November 18, 1993 10:46AM


Since I'm (sorta) in the software business, let me just endorse Jim's
(AD1C's) comment about "marking" software with the registered user's call.
 The keyboard software I market has the owner's call emblazoned in the first 

screen he/she sees every time the software is started.  I know I'd be
embarrassed (particularly if I had someone else in the shack) to have it
clearly  indicated for the world to see that  I was using pirated software.
 Call it shame factor -- so far it seems to have worked.

>From Smith, Pete" <PSmith at codei.hq.nasa.gov  Thu Nov 18 19:51:00 1993
From: Smith, Pete" <PSmith at codei.hq.nasa.gov (Smith, Pete)
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 93 11:51:00 PST
Subject: DVP Usage
Message-ID: <2CEBD22D at ms.hq.nasa.gov>


As an early purchaser (and reviewer, in NCJ) of the K1EA DVP, I've been 
surprised and somewhat disappointed by the apparent lack of use of the 
"callsign-voicing" function by stations on the air.  In fact, my very 
sporadic use of this feature is the ONLY use I can personally recall.  So I 
thought I'd use this forum to ask the opinions of big guns and little 
pistols alike:

 - Have you used the feature?   If not, why not?
 - Any hints on improving the intelligibility of "voiced" call-signs? <I've 
had a hard time recording the separate phonetics and numbers in the right 
intonation so that they sound half-way natural when strung together>.
 - Any known plans by K1EA (or anyone else) to improve the software or 
firmware to make this feature more usable? <Ken was talking at one point 
about enabling users to record a set of "last letters" with a falling 
intonation so as to sound more natural>

Pete,  N4ZR (psmith at codei.hq.nasa.gov)