Re: More about GEOS...and...piracy?

[labelas@hotmail.com (Labelas Enoreth)]

> Hi, I own a protected version of GEOS.  I can't make disk images
> of my legal copy for you to modify, but I would like to install
> it on my own hard drive.
> 
> Problem: my version of GEOS does not recognize SCSI hard
> drives.
> 
> I would like to get a copy of your GEOS.SYSTEM file, the one
> that a hard drive install creates, so that I can run GEOS from my
> hard drive.  I'm sure the copyright eagles won't object.  I mean,
> GEOS.SYSTEM by itself is useless without all the other files
> that come on the GEOS disks.  I have those on my licensed copy.
Perfect, not only are you an established person on here, but you also have
a valid reason and point. I simply stated most of the previous information
because in the past (not on here) I have had overzealous people come
flaming down on me when I suggested sharing something I had discovered.
Honestly, I'd love to just up it somewhere or get all of your versions of
GEOS and make one sort of, universal copy to fix problems like this with
people, and since you have a legal copy, it would technically be fine... I
just know that some people on here can get a bit intense, and I also
recall the actual current owners of the GEOS license (well, this was a
couple years back) coming down really hard on some people trading disk
images of Commodore GEOS. So I try to protect myself as best I can from
both...sides.
Out of curiousity, exactly _how_ is the CP'ed version of GEOS protected?

> BUT, I don't really want to see someone elses name stamp
> every time I launch GEOS.  I read someone else on csa2 has
> an unstamped copy.  Maybe you can get in touch with him
> and get the unstamped copy, create GEOS.SYSTEM with it
> (using a Sider equipped Apple II system) and use that as the
> copy you would make available.
I've since accidentally lost that mail. Hopefully he will read this and
write me. Or maybe you have the post...
Honestly, GEOS.SYSTEM is only slightly different from the GEOBOOT.SYSTEM
file on the disk#1, and you _may_ be able to get by with that depending on
your version. However, it seems like GEOS either wants to be all on one
disk, or spread across the specific 5.25 disks. It doesn't seem to
appreciate being on, say, a HD and a 3.5, or a 5.25 and a 3.5...at least
AFAIK. Oh yeah, and it needs to be on the root level too.
 
> In case anyone is wondering, you can't use a simple block
> editor to change the name stamp.  It is coded in some way.
Well, I was sort of thinking that it might just be a simple encoded
string, the finding it would be the problem. Do you know which file it's
stored in? I've peeked in a couple but didn't expend too much effort in
that direction...yet.
Sometimes I've seen strings 'encrypted' with something as simple as a
letter offset. (you know, like the sort of thing where THE DOG becomes SFD
CNF or perhaps less trivial)

> For those of you wondering about how GEOS runs on an
> accelerated GS, imagine GS/OS on a 12.5Mhz TWGS and
> multiply that speed by two.  GEOS runs so fast because it is
> an OS that is much simpler and smaller than GS/OS.  It does
> less, that is true, but it is nice to have in addition to GS/OS.
Actually, GEOS runs beautifully on my 2Mhz IIe card...so an accelerated GS
may even be overkill. The only sort of slow point is when it loads an app
or has to reload the GEOS desktop (which it does seem to do quite often).

Now, if only I didn't have to go into the GS or IIe control panel and
switch it from color to monochrome every time I want to use GEOS. And then
switch it back to play, say, King's Quest.