In 1984, I started a serious campaign at Novell to get rid of all software copy protection. We were actually using a physical card that went into a server slot with a serialized chip epoxied to a board. Every operating system had to be serialized to the key card, or it didn’t work.
My strategy was to remove any pain customers were having with using the product. I theorized that if anyone really wanted to steal NetWare, the key card wasn’t stopping them. And the people that were being punished were the real customers that just wanted to get things working quickly without any barriers.
It took me two years to finally convince everyone at Novell that sales would go up and support calls go down if we removed all software copy protection. Ray Noorda let me know, gently, that my job was on the line if sales started to drop. I never found out how serious he was. Needless to say, removing copy protection from NetWare was one of the key moves that caused NetWare to become ubiquitous.
Invariably, when it comes to business applications and infrastructure, copy protection is a punishment to key customers and simply a new challenge to those who are going to steal the product anyway.
Microsoft is about to find out just how painful copy protection can be.The copy protection schemes being rolled out with Office and Windows XP are misguided and will cause more damage than increased revenues.
To Steve Balmer
Steve, if you are listening, reconsider. Copy protection is a boon to your competitors. This is a bad idea. You will only punish your best customers. Don’t do it.
To Microsoft Office and Windows Competitors
This is your opening. Go for it.
Tomorrow I will blog on more stuff Novell is doing right; today!
