FS9 - Disc 4

[Guest shanwick]

I'm fascinated by this thread.Microsoft clearly has some form of anti-piracy policy by requiring Disk 4 to be in the CD in order to run FS2004. Well, fine, I have no problems with anti-piracy policies per se. But here we are talking about CD copiers and virtual drives which would enable piracy to be committed by anyone with that intention.Perhaps I am just growing old but something doesn't seem quite right or logical here :-hmmm David

[Guest Ken_Salter]

You have to have the original CD in order to use the copier or virtual drive. The copy protection is still in place.Talking about a hacked .exe is a different matter. That allows you to run the software without the CD.

[Guest]

But you need to pay to play, and pay by the hour.So unless you hand your friends your creditcard number and billing details they'll still have to pay themselves to use it (you could give them access to your account but then you'd be paying for their use and you'd be in violation of your contract as it won't allow account trading).Whichever way, Blizzard is ensured of their income. The initial cost of the CD covers production, distribution, and the trial period. A copied CD won't get the person receiving it a new trial period...Unless you want FS to go the same way (pay as you play), don't expect Microsoft to remove the piracy protection from the disc set.

[Guest]

same here David. I guess I'm getting old too. I long back for the days when people were law abiding citizens who didn't think theft (in whatever form, as theft piracy is) was perfectly OK and that helping others (even in the abstract) to perform crimes was a good thing.

[Guest franksalot]

Hello folks,Many thanks for all your thoughts, they have been most helpful. I was 'stunned' when my Fs9 Disc 4 actually worked when I put it in my 'old' DVD Drive :) - it's never done anything like that in it's life before. So considering all opinions, I have decided to put the Nr.4 did in the DVD drive (I rarely use it anyway, the Drive that is), then write to Microsoft UK and see if they can issue me with a new disc.Ken S, I think now would be as good a time to Lock, or whatever, this thread. Very good of you to let it run as long as you did.KenSomerset, England

[Guest shanwick]

>You have to have the original CD in order to use the copier>or virtual drive. The copy protection is still in place.>>Talking about a hacked .exe is a different matter. That>allows you to run the software without the CD.KenPerhaps I didn't make my previous post very clear although I do take your point about hacked .exe files. What confuses me is this.A simple Google search will reveal software that can copy protected CDs. The cost of this software is less than the cost of FS2004. You don't therefore have to be a rocket scientist to conclude how easy it then is to make pirate copies of FS2004 and distribute them to friends. Don't get me wrong here - I don't do this myself and I don't advocate that others do it either.I cannot understand why MS don't require online validation of FS2004 such as they do with Windows XP. At least they would then be able to detect piracy and stop further installations of FS2004. The Disk 4 requirement is so easy to circumvent that even a dork could figure it out.The forbidden hacked .exe file is available from so many websites - some of them well known and respected - but MS seems to have so far made no attempt to stop this. Surely an MS letter or lawyer on your doorstep would be enough. Perhaps they don't really care?Makes the whole issue a farce IMO.David

[Guest smarti]

Ok first post and I'll probably be banned.1)Great site shame about *** nevermind2)Great freeware shame about people (mostly vested interests) gushingabout payware.3) Great advice4)Sorry its off topic, thought I'd get it in before being banned.5) No ones going to bother getting a *****e copy of fs2004 all the swashbucklers are interested in less serious stuff but more popular. (and it might take a while to download anyway)6)Nocds (oh no I'm gone) are for convenience only (I have a life, other people use my pc's, it saves theoretically, never do it myself, messing about)7)If someone on the ocean waves wishes to they can 'modify' any program written by man. So such protection is a complete waste of time. (Have you ever stuck a music cd into a pc with mp10 on it, the first thing it suggests is rip it!! it doesnt say beware this is illegal)8) I appologise but most of you seem to live in some sort of fantasy utopia. try wandering outside of disney world every now and then. Yes it rains yes crime has always existed, otherwise there would be no police. Sometimes I think 10 year old kids no more about the real world than some of you guys.Mods: I withdraw all the above comments please give me a second chance after all what is the war on terror and fight for freedom forok bye