Utilities section.

[ijor]

Sorry again, I had to delete your message to avoid the confusion.

No problem. It happens.

(Tapper) I have seen three copies of the US version until now: one "unboxed" and two boxed (one of them being mine now). The european release pops up quite often compared to the US version.

You lucky bastard
I didn't know there was an european release. It's not in your database.

(LRC) No, I remember at least five copies being sold (although in big lots and without manual and box).

I see. But we are talking about boxed copies.

Btw, this particular game has an excellent copy protection.

Hmm. Looks like the version I have is old or completely hacked (don't have the original). There is no copy protection in the version I have. Actually no code at all, just a data disk for the original LR. Do you have an original disk?

[ijor]

Well, I really don't think people would try to make repros of all these completely unknown titles...
If people want to fool you, they'll certainly try to do it with a classic game.

I wouldn’t be so sure about that.

I have expertise on forgeries on an unrelated collecting area. And I can tell you something I learnt there. The items most counterfeited are not the rarest or the most expensive, but the ones that are easiest to counterfeit.

Counterfeiting, say, Alley Cat is obviously very attractive. But it requires some combination of talent, time and money. A pro forger can only do it (well). On the other hand, counterfeiting a home-produced software doesn’t require anything, anybody can do it quickly and easily.

And is possible that the market will change in the future, then everything rare could be expensive (disregarding being a classic or a completely unknown game).

Furthermore, we aren’t talking only about malicious counterfeits. We just might find copies around that you won’t be able to know if they are original or not.

Home produced software is not exclusive to unknown rare games. Many utilities were home produced, even some quite well known ones. Actually, it is likely that most utilities made by small companies were completely “unbranded” and home made.

[Andre]

There is no copy protection in the version I have.

There is definitely a protection on the disk - ask Homesoft, who did the conversion.

Do you have an original disk?

No, just manual and box. But I have a copy of the original disk (it just has a bad sector), which is/was copy-protected.

The items most counterfeited are not the rarest or the most expensive, but the ones that are easiest to counterfeit.

This reminds me on a discussion about prototype games I had with Callipygous a long time ago: Since cartridge prototypes (EPROM) often come with a hand-written or cheaply printed label it is very hard to say which is a true prototype and which not (except from the carts featuring an unknown title, of course).

[carmel_andrews]

I do have an original Transdisk 4 (xe) by Digicomm (before they licenced it out to page 6)

I can't remember what happened to the instructions

I also have an original 'taskmaster' by Rambit/laterly DGS (with soiled manual)

I also have an original Andrew Thompson patched Howfendos v3.08 (he did the orig. patch)

I also have a copy (not orig.) of C Sim (mine only does standard tape loads, i.e. not EA, English software or Novagen type loader)