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Prevent software from running on new computers or virtual machines.



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 31st 19, 07:04 PM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
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Default Prevent software from running on new computers or virtual machines.

Hi,

Let's suppose you want to create software that can only run on old computers and not on new computers and not on virtual machines ?!

What kind of programming tricks would you use to try and avoid the software from being run on newer computers or virtual machines ?

Bye,
Skybuck =D
  #2  
Old January 1st 20, 04:13 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Paul[_28_]
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Default Prevent software from running on new computers or virtual machines.

wrote:
Hi,

Let's suppose you want to create software that can only run on old computers and not on new computers and not on virtual machines ?!

What kind of programming tricks would you use to try and avoid the software from being run on newer computers or virtual machines ?

Bye,
Skybuck =D


The Neat Video plugin, the installer on it is fully equipped
with "detections".

It can detect usage of WINE in Linux to attempt software install.
The installer stops.

It can detect usage inside a virtual machine. The installer stops.
I don't think testing for VM usage, is that difficult.

The installer on that one, only installs on physical hardware.

To police free usage of the plugin as a demo, the driver
"leaks Pool memory", until the computer is reduced to almost
frozen operation. That stops you from using the plugin.
WinXP has limited Pool memory. Whereas Windows 7, the entire
machine memory can be used for Pool, which the designer of
the Neat Video plugin missed. This allows 12 hours of usage
of the plugin, whereas the designer of the plugin wanted
to limit usage to 30 minutes.

His monstrous installer wasn't an entire success.

And that installer was written years and years ago,
and I was impressed (and worried) by the implications.

Paul
  #6  
Old January 2nd 20, 08:37 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Bill[_40_]
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Default Prevent software from running on new computers or virtual machines.

wrote:
On Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at 9:45:32 AM UTC+1, Bill wrote:
wrote:
Hi,

Let's suppose you want to create software that can only run on old computers and not on new computers and not on virtual machines ?!

What kind of programming tricks would you use to try and avoid the software from being run on newer computers or virtual machines ?

Bye,
Skybuck =D



Simple, write a "shell" for yourself which transposes a few bit or bytes
in your executables, and apply the inverse to the executables. Then
your executables should run normally for you, and no one else--unless
you tell them the "secret". I've actually modified gif some files, by
"brute force" this way (i.e. by reading and writing each byte)--and
somewhat to my "amazement", it worked. : )


Ok but then you could run many copies, the idea is kinda to try and limit the copy to just one hardware device =D

Bye,
Skybuck



Write a program in the format of at least 500 punch cards, and set them
next to the card reader for a particular machine, say an IBM-360. I
have a feeling no one will try to run the program on a newer machine.
Similarly for a program stored on a cassette player. Or an audio 8-track
tape.

Bill




  #7  
Old January 8th 20, 12:07 AM posted to alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
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Posts: 533
Default Prevent software from running on new computers or virtual machines.

I'm thinking of something that might be incomputable.

Maybe square of 2 or the halting problem.

At least with square of 2 it can be computed to a certain precision.

Maybe emulators won't bother to compute up to a certain precision because maybe it would then become infeasible/too slow for practical usage

Bye,
Skybuck.
 




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