Subject: REVIEW: Raw Copy version 1.3
From: [email-masked] (Rob Morton)
Date: 21 Apr 1993 15:34:30 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME

	Raw Copy version 1.3

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	A software copier for copy-protected disks.  It uses parameters.

AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		Micro Systems International
	Address:	1143 Monroe St.
			Carleton, MI 48117

	Telephone:	(313) 654-8402

LIST PRICE

	$59.95 (US).

SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

	None.

COPY PROTECTION

	In one version, it could not copy itself.  I do not know if this is
still in effect.  It does install on my hard drive, though.

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	A2000, 1 Meg Chip RAM, 2 Meg Fast RAM, AmigaDOS 1.3, 2 internal
drives, 1 external drive, 100 Megs of hard drive space.

REVIEW

	I got this program because I was getting very tired of "look up in
the manual" copy protection.  I especially dislike manuals printed on dark
red paper with black letters:  I have a hard time reading those.  I have
gone as far as typing all the codes from one such program (SimCity) into a
file, so that I can get a white page print out.  Anyway, I no longer have
to put up with that.  Raw Copy has been able to remove that protection from
the games I use.

	Once the program is loaded, a rather plain screen comes up.  Using
menus is how you switch the type of copying you are going to do.  If you
just want to use the parameters, just start the program copying.  It will
automatically pick the right parameter.  This is nice, but I like picking my
own parameter.  Don't ask me why, but it just makes me sure that I get the
right one.  It copies fairly quickly, and then you are finished.  If you
have a game that is not on the parameter list that you want to try and copy,
there are some other methods.  The two strongest are "Nibble A" and "Nibble
B."  They take quite a while but can copy some games with harder protection
schemes.  They will not get rid of the manual protections, but they do copy
many games.

	The program has many features included for the Hacker type of person;
however, I don't use them, so I cannot really review them.

PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY COPIED

	I usually used the best copier for the task.  Raw Copy would copy and
remove protections, so it got used for manual-based games the most.  Nib got
used for most of the first round of copying, and then any long tracks I did
individually with Super Card Ami II.  If that didn't work, then I just used
Super Card Ami.  (See my reviews of the other 2 copiers mentioned.)

	Copied:
		AAARGH!
		Bard's Tale
		Earl Weaver Baseball
		Gunship
		Marble Madness
		Menace
		Rampage

	Copied and removed "look up in the manual" protection:
		Battle Chess
		Death Knights of Krynn
		Dr. Doom's Revenge
		Eye of the Beholder
		Knights of the Sky
		North and South
		Nuclear War
		Pirates
		Sim City
		Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

	[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  My copy of "Eye of the Beholder" was not
	copy protected at all.  - Dan]

DOCUMENTATION

	The documentation comes in a small (10-15 page) book and on the
disk.  The book explains how to use the software and what each feature is.
While the manual is small, it is quite complete, with more information than
I needed.  The disk-based manual has a list of the games that the program is
known to be able to copy.  The list is quite extensive.

LIKES AND DISLIKES

	Likes:

		I like the program because it does exactly what it is
		supposed to do.  Also, updates are easily attainable from
		MSI.  They mail out information frequently about updates.
		They also give discounts on their other software to current
		users.

	Dislikes:

		I can't see how anyone could really like the main screen.
		It is very boring and dull.  It also seems to be slower than
		some other copiers.  When an error is found it prints, an "E"
		on the screen for that track, but there is no buffer so the
		E goes away.  If you are not looking at it constantly, you
		may not notice.

	Suggestions:

		Make it look better.  I know it is a copier; but if I have
		to look at it, I want it to be appealing to the eye.  Also,
		speech capability would be nice to say when it finds an
		error and when it is complete.  The last suggestion is a
		buffer for error messages.

COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	Well I can really only compare it to Nib (Stellar Systems, Inc.; see
my other review).  Raw Copy is much worse-looking than Nib and not as
enjoyable to use.  However, unlike Nib, Raw Copy still is supported quite
well.  I have seen Project D, and Project D looks better as well, but it is
also not supported anymore as far as I know.  Raw Copy seems to be the
strongest of the disk-based copiers for copying programs that it has no
parameter for.

BUGS

	None found.

VENDOR SUPPORT

	I have gotten one upgrade from MSI and ordered some of their reduced
price software.  They were very friendly on the phone, and I got the
software fairly quickly.  They also don't seem to mind that I do not upgrade
every time there are new parameters.  (I think I have upgraded only once in
2.5 years).  The only problem I had was that they accidently charged my
credit card twice.  It took me about 3 minutes on the phone to get that
corrected, and the person on the phone was very apologetic about the mistake.
All in all, I was quite pleased.

WARRANTY

	Unknown.

CONCLUSIONS

	This product is very good and seems very stable.  It has great
support and needs only cosmetic work to make it a 5 out of 5 program.
At present, I give it 4 out of 5 points.

---

   Daniel Barrett, Moderator, comp.sys.amiga.reviews
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