THE GREAT BROWN BAG WORD PROCESSOR HOAX

The latest issue of PC Magazine (April 15, 1986) has a free disk 
enclosed - a full working copy of the Brown Bag Word Processing 
program with Mail Merge. Wow! What a great idea and what a great 
magazine! 
     
But what's this - there's something about "Unlocking" the copy 
protected disk for $85 - If I don't, it's going to suddenly stop 
working after a while. I couldn't resist the temptation to test 
their copy protection - sure enough, even the latest versions of 
COPYIIPC and COPYWRIT admit defeat in trying to make a copy. 
    
By this time I'm thinking that this program must really be 
something special - mass marketing it to everyone in the world who 
buys PC Magazine and incorporating the very latest copy protection 
methods. I'd better try this program out - maybe it's really worth 
it to unlock it for $85.  
    
I do a disk directory and recognize some familiar looking files - 
ED.EXE, HELPE.DEF, RULER.DEF, etc. I think, "this must be the 
wrong disk in the drive, because those are PC-WRITE files." 
Nope - it's the Brown Bag Word Processor alright. This can't be! I 
crank the program up and with the exception of an introduction 
screen identifying it as the Brown Bag Word Processor - it is 
PC-WRITE v2.55 - licensed by the author, Bob Wallace, to Brown Disk 
Manufacturing, Inc.   What will they think of next?
    
So - you get to try out this Brown Bag "mystery" program for an 
unspecified length of time, and just as you're starting to like 
it, it dies. You send off your $85 to get it fixed and you're 
happy again.  But of course, you have to put up with the copy 
protection nonsense in the meantime.  
    
Wait! I have a great idea!  Why not get a legal SHAREWARE copy of 
PC-WRITE v2.55 (if you are one of the .0001 % of the PC population 
that doesn't already have a copy), try it out for as long as you 
wish, and then register if you choose to do so.  No copy 
protection, no "rigged" program that dies just as you are getting 
used to it, but the same program with the same capabilities.
    
What do I think of this particular "FREE, ACTUAL FULL-FEATURED, 
FULL-FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM OFFER"?  (I'll bet you can't guess).
Well, I think PC Magazine is an excellent magazine, the idea of 
putting a trial or demo disk in the magazine is a good one, and 
PC-WRITE is a very good editor (I am a registered owner).  BUT - 
putting a copy protected, boobytrapped, identical clone of a 
readily available SHAREWARE program in a magazine with no 
reference to the fact that it really is just another program in 
disguise - well, that stinks! They'll probably make a ton of money 
from all of the people who don't know any better - and that makes 
it smell even worse!
    
---- Mike Miller     Orlando, Florida    03-15-86