How to lock apps from being copied/stolen

I haven't put much thought into this before but had a few other Techs. ask me about this.
Is there away to lock down applications from being copied.
For example, how to stop a user from simply dragging MS Office to a thumb drive then take home with them.
I know some apps put the SN# and such info in the library's but this is not hard to get around. A lot of apps are just drag drop apps.
Is there not a way?
Thanks,
Carter

Hi, Carter.
AFAIK, there's no way to prevent this. Even if you installed the applications on a Mac OS X 10.4 Server volume and used ACLs (Access Control Lists), there's no ACL permission that allows Read while prohibiting "copy." What can be read can be copied, so merely using Read permissions generally won't prevent copying.
You can read about ACLs in the PDF document Mac OS X Server 10.4 File Services (Manual).
This is why so many third-party applications are employing "activation" and "phone home" technologies to assure the license is both valid and running on the computer on which it was originally installed. As one can see from reviewing the information on software piracy published by the Business Software Alliance, these methods are still being circumvented, but they are getting better.
If piracy is an issue in your firm, it should vigorously enforce an anti-piracy "condition of employment," i.e. if someone is found to be stealing apps, they should be fired both immediately and publicly, the latter to set an example that the firm has zero tolerance for piracy.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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