[OT] Another warped idea ?

[Richmond Mathewson]

  On 05/05/2010 20:04, Peter Alcibiades wrote:
> Its not quite right, it does not let you install OSX just on  Virtual Box
> running on a Mac.  It lets you install, with all kinds of caveats, OSX on VB
> running on anything.  I haven't tried, having no interest in running any
> Apple OS, but that is what its supposed to do.

Well, we all know, by now, your taste in OS; chacun a son goût!

 From my point of view; should my PPC Macs go 'bang' one day, and RunRev not
sort out the Linux version the idea of running Mac OS X in Virtual Box 
simply to
run RunRev for Mac is extremely appealing.
> When it comes to testing production software, like Rev, virtualization is a
> snare and a delusion.

That is why I moved from testing Windows standalones on Virtual PC to a
headless Pentium 3 running XP.

>    But not when it comes to just running stuff as a
> user.  The implication of the present case is, that a particular reference
> hardware configuration is becoming standardized, regardless of what physical
> hardware the machine is running.  Its going to be harder and harder to keep
> OSX off non-Apple boxes for ordinary users.
>
> If you look at a package like Thininstall from VMWare, there are also real
> implications for developers who want to tie their app to one physical
> machine.

Maybe I'm a bit thick, but what possible advantage could accrue from tying
an app to either one physical machine (well, if one wants to cheese-off 
people
who have paid good money for your app but don't really want to lug their 
PC +
monitor(s) in the car every time they pop up to the cottage in the 
country, I suppose
it makes sense: think about it; 2 reasonable PCs now cost less than one 
reasonable
laptop, and they generally last longer) ?

I own a copy of Runrev Studio 4 for Mac, Win and Linux: down here in 
Plovdiv, I have RunRev
installed on my G4 Mac, a Pentium 3 running XP and an HP 2,5 GHz Pentium 
4 running Ubuntu
"whatever-the-stupid-animal-name-is-at-the-moment". When I go up to the 
country house
(Yes; you can all breath a sigh of relief; Richmond is buggering off for 
4 days - no daft postings)
as I have a keyboard, mouse and monitor up there I just pop my G4 
macMini (OS X 10.4.11) in
the car; with RunRev 4 on it - now, before the licensing chaps at RunRev 
get all hot and sweaty
I should point out that I don't see any moral or legal problem with 
that, because when I am using
licensed RunRev on my kiddy-box in Hrabrino (that's the name of the 
village where our
villa is) I am NOT using any of my machines down in Plovdiv.

Now, were Runrev tied to a particular machine that would not be 
possible, and I would have to take
to drugs or something because I couldn't get my Runrev fix on holiday . 
. .  :)

Thank You Runtime Revolution; Love and Squeezes from Richmond.

>    You cannot any longer prevent an app from being made portable if
> its installable at all.

Oh dear, oh dear; if your app is worth anything at all it WILL be 
pirated in one
way or another; but I am sure sales will bring in sufficient cash that, 
unless you
are a "real so-and-so" you won't lose undue sleep over the fact.

Hey; the latest joke is that I have seen my FREE Devawriter on pirate 
sites: what a laugh,
people thinking they are being very clever; pirating a free program: 
good on them . . .   :)

Frankly, I take the whole thing as a compliment.

I sure hope that happens to my "Pro" version; it probably is worth more 
than all
those silly awards I have on my website:

http://andregarzia.on-rev.com/richmond/dwriter.html

I mean, let's face it, as long as your piece of 'poo' isn't a trojan you 
start getting these "award"
about 10 minutes BEFORE you release the blasted thing.

Why do I put the things on my website; err . . .  because I'm as vain as 
the next person, and just possibly
it will up the level of downloads.

> And in the case of a VM, you move it around, it travels with the same unique
> hardware identifiers, so even if you tie down your app to a hardware
> signature, you cannot actually stop proliferation of copies.

Oh, Blah!

> When you think about it like this, the App Store and the tool restriction
> ceases to be such a crazy idea.  No nicer, but a lot less crazy.

Yes; rather like 70 year copyright after you are dead and so forth. I 
don't mind
a modicum of protection (even thought the pirates will go on their merry way
regardless) while I am alive; after all, I did the work. But after I am 
dead is ludicrous:
my children will inherit enough from me as it is, without them being 
able to sponge
of my efforts even unto the 7th generation; they can earn their own 
money, and make
their own creative decisions.