To Protect And To . . . Serve?

I hate copy protection, but not as much as the manufacturers who use it. It’s expensive, takes effort to integrate into a program, and companies know the Protection Paradox: It inconveniences only legitimate users. Developers have no illusion that copy protection prevents stealing, but it slows down the rate at which their products are stolen, which can make the difference between staying in business or not.

But there are many ways of dealing with copy protection, some more onerous than others. Here’s what I encountered during “Adventures in Installation.”

The Serial Number

This is easy — install program, enter serial number, go. Unfortunately, it’s also the easiest to hack. Yet companies like Cakewalk and Propellerhead, who use this minimal protection, remain in business. Why? Perhaps it’s because there’s no hacker “glory” in cracking something this simple. Also, legit users appreciate this system and tend to be vocal in their support. Perhaps more importantly, both companies use incentives as their real “copy protection.” Propellerheads gives free goodies and tech support, while Cakewalk lets you access program updates — but only if you’re registered.

The Dongle

The dongle is keyed to your program — re-install the program, insert the dongle, done. Because the authorization is not dependent on a specific computer, you can take the installation CD and dongle on the road, install the program anywhere, and authorize it. So far, so good.

But with lotsa dongles, those USB ports fill up: I’ve already bought two USB hubs. You can generally transfer licenses among dongles if you stay within a particular form of protection; for example, I transferred Steinberg’s Cubase SX and Hypersonic licenses to the HALion dongle, because they all used Syncrosoft (Figure 1). But I couldn’t have transferred them to, say, an iLok-based dongle.

Periodic CD Insertion

Some programs used to require periodic insertions of the distribution CD to confirm ownership, but the howls of road warriors ended this — try being 3,000 miles from home without a crucial distribution CD. However, some programs still require CD insertion when updating.

Authorization

I once installed a software suite with authorization protection designed by Satan himself. Seems I hadn’t installed the latest protection drivers . . . not that there was any warning (“Caution! You are about to hose your computer and OS! Go to our secret website and download drivers you didn’t even know existed!”). Fortunately, no one uses this system any more.

Authorization is usually from a web server, with an option for phone, fax, or mail. For example, with Ableton Live or Sony’s programs, you obtain a serial number when you buy the software. You install it, and enter the serial number. The program generates a device code keyed to your computer that you send to the company website, and they email you an unlock code. Enter this, and your program has full functionality.

The downside is that a significant hardware change may require re-authorizing. However, companies don’t want to upset legit users, and won’t give you a hard time unless they detect a pattern with the scent of fraud.

IK Multimedia offers a variation on this system; registering gives you three authorizations. Upgrade your system, and you still have two authorizations left. There’s a rumor that once you use up three installs, you have to buy the program again, but IK emphatically denies that: Just contact tech support for additional authorizations. I tried that after using up my AmpliTube installs, and they gave me three more.

Native Instruments lets you manage your authorizations/deauthorizations online. Before reformatting, I went to the NI website and deauthorized all my programs. After my refurbished system generated a new machine code, I re-authorized based on the new code.

Bottom line: I got my programs going again, but only because I’d been scrupulous about backing up the various serial numbers to multiple media. My distribution CDs/DVDs are stored safely, too. After all, without that serial number, CD/DVD, and/or other proof of ownership, you’re hosed.