Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    FYI - Usenet rumors indicate that Marauder is no longer supported
          by Discovery.  (i.e. no new brain files in the future.)

	Marauder II was discontinued, and the latest Brain File was
    # 10.  Discovery Software discontinued it after an uproar about
    them releasing copyprotected software (ARKANOID) that Marauder could
    not copy.

Re: .1, .2

Discovery Software is still supporting Marauder.  The rumor to the
contrary was started by the Bandito in Amazing Computing.  (Although
folks on Usenet started propagating the rumor.)

A month ago I called Discovery to update to Brain File 10 (I was using
Brain 7 with the tiresome "look up the word" copy protection).  At that
time, Discovery tried to talk me out of updating because "Brain 11 is
going to be out by Christmas."

I believe that this was yet more misinformation from the Bandito.   The
new Bandito's record doesn't seem to good: He (or she) is constantly
predicting future events (i.e., starting rumors, not reporting them)
based on very scanty information.  Coupled with the fact that the B
doesn't really seem to understand marketing or product development,
and that the B's logic is faulty, the B does more harm than good.
However, it is fun reading the letters threatening Amazing with 
lawsuits because of the "Roomers" column.

Addendum to .3:

I though the "Backup List" for Brain 10 was pretty sleazy: it lists
Arkanoid as one of the programs that can be backed up.  However, a
footnote explains that the way you back Arkanoid up "using"
Marauder is to send $3 plus the Arkanoid backup card to Discovery
Software.  In other words, Marauder can not back up Arkanoid.

    At the moment, what I am interested in backing up is Mavis Beacon, F18,
    and Rocket Ranger.  (Is F18 even protected?  I have it stashed as an
    Xmas present and haven't checked.)  I am particularly interested in
    Mavis Beacon, since I know it is protected and also writes on its disk.
    That is a no-no in my book.  If possible I would also like to install
    it on the hard disk that santa is bringing. 

	Paul

    I've got backups of both Rocket Ranger and F18, but I forgot whether 
    I used diskcopy or Marauder in verbatim mode to do it.  My guess is 
    that neither are protected because they both use secret decoder wheels 
    as a piracy deterrent.  In any case, Marauder will do it if diskcopy 
    won't.  Don't know about Mavis Beacon.

    - Cliff

Re: .5

F18 isn't copy protected.  It does use "code wheel" piracy protection in
an obnoxious way: every time you crash you must pull out the code wheel.

There is a patch program that eliminates the necessity for using the
code wheel.  Any registered owner should feel free to doctor his or
her personal copy.

I checked the backup list:  Mavis Beacon isn't listed.

    Rocket Ranger is not copy-protected either. You also need to use a
    "code wheel" to play this game.
    

    Thanks all for the info.  So apparently I don't need anything, except
    for Mavis, and she isn't handled, at least until Brain 11.

    I tried calling the last number I had for the Discovery Software BBS:
    301/267-9921, but got no answer.  Is there a newer number?  The last
    time I used that one seems to have been June 87.

	Paul

Re: .9

The Marauder with Brain 10 does give that phone number as the number of
Discovery Software's BBS.  However, I was never able to get that number
to work.  I suspect that Discovery has discontinued their BBS.

On the plus side, they now (as I just discovered from Amiga World) have
a 800 number for ordering products:

	1-800-342-6442 

Also, it seems that Discover Software has changed locations.  My original
Marauder II manual gave the address of Discovery Software as Wyndmoor, PA.
The latest ads give their location as Annapolis, MD.

    I just biucht Maurader II about a month ago and the number in the
    literature is for the Maryland location:
     (301) 268-9877