Newsgroups: alt.cd-rom Subject: Re: CD-ROM copy protectio From: kirk.jensen@spacebbs.com (Kirk Jensen) Path: cdrom.com!barrnet.net!iserver.spacebbs.com!spacebbs!kirk.jensen Distribution: world Message-ID: <6.10611.1188.0NAE841E@spacebbs.com> References: Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 12:29:00 -0800 Organization: Space BBS - 15 nodes - v.32bis - (415-323-4193) Lines: 48 BR>Message-ID: BR>Newsgroup: alt.cd-rom BR>Organization: HoloNet National Internet Access System: 510-704-1058/modem BR> BR>Groliers Encyclopedia on Mac and others similar to it use copy protection. BR> BR>First, it thwarts access to the volume from the program unless the files BR>are located on certain block locations. BR> BR>Second, it uses direct block locations instead of file manager to further BR>make the CD-ROM required to be present. BR> BR>Third it insists on accessing these special block locations using the BR>Macintoshes CD-ROM driver nad only a CD-ROM driver. BR> BR> BR>All three of these things were done by On-Line Access (I think thats their BR>name) just for copyprotection. So the answer is Yes, some CD-ROMs are BR>essentially deliberately copy protected. Their name is OnLine Computer Systems, Inc. of Germantown, MD. They are the people who produce the Groliers Encyclopedias, which in general is a nice product with a very fast search engine that they have also developed. Looks like a fairly good first effort on their part, given what you said above. BR>Funny thing is, the copy protection on this product has bugs that assumes BR>only one volume is supported by the CD-ROM driver and sends an invalid BR>"volume" request assuming the CD-ROM driver will just find whatever volume BR>is handy for the damn crap. Mostly works though. Sounds like a bit of a rush job on the copy protection routine. It does seem to happen to just about everyone these days. BR>So yes, jeff ivler, some CD-ROMs are designed deliberatley to disallow BR>running copies from magneto optical cartridges and such. BR> BR>=Bill Once again, thanks for the information. I've found your comments in this conference to be excellent, and really appreciate the fact that you take the time to share your wealth of information with the rest of us. I'm sure many other people feel the same way. --- þ KingQWK 1.05 # 141 þ CD-ROM Access (415) 941-2400 FAX: (415) 941-4900