question about file protection

[sleepkyng]

is it possible to put a file on a disc that

can only be viewed?

it's important that it

A) cannot be copied
B) cannot be printed (if it's a photo or written document for example)


cheers

 

[drjman]

I am pretty sure you can't do that. If we could, the RIAA would be all over that and you would hear about it.

 

[sleepkyng]

well, i mean, hax0rz aside, just the general guy on the street - if i gave him a cd, is there a way to keep him from copying stuff, but allow him to only view it?

 

[drjman]

Not that i know of. I was saying that if such a thing was readily available, you would know.

 

[bruceb]

Have a look here ... this may do what you want

http://www.newsoftwares.net/folderlock/benefits.html

 

[drjman]

I think the main issue here is that if you can open up the file/doc/picture, you are also able to save a copy/print/etc. My theory is if its readable (i.e. you can open it) you can copy it. Even if you can't select the text or picture or ctrl c, x etc you can still take a screen shot.
What i am saying is there's not fullproof way.

Maybe consider putting some crazy watermarks on the docs or pictures you want to share. In that case, they would at least have to be an insane photoshoper to get rid of it. For the doc, just put a huge "this copy has been made illegally" watermark. At least the embarrasment of sharing that would deter some.
I don't know, just shooting in the dark.

 

[nobodyinc]

Well if you are good with flash and stuff like that you could make a flash program/slide show that would run where the people would be able to view the files within the viewer but nothing else(except if they took screen shots of course).

 

[sleepkyng]

nobodyinc - could you elaborate on that? that sounds interesting. maybe there's a way to prevent screenshots?

cheers for all the input everyone.

 

[nobodyinc]

Well my idea would be to create like a slide show flash program that would contain all of the pictures you want to show. So when you would burn this to a disk there would only be one file(the flash file). Then to make it where people can't just copy the whole slide show onto their computer you could write a script in the flash file that checks the location of the file and if its no on the d:\ drive then the slide show will show an error(or you can use a unique name for the cd).

Now to protect against screen shots I have no clue. You might be able to put some kind of watermark on the file. I am not the good with flash but I think it would work in theory.

 

[RebateMonger]

If a file can be viewed, it can be copied. Unless it's being streamed to the viewer and isn't really a "file".

Microsoft's Rights Management Services (RMS) has provisions for disallowing printing and other operations on email, documents, and web sites. But it involves Windows Servers and Microsoft applications like IE, MS Office, etc.

 

[nobodyinc]

well if the file is a flash file then it can be copied by you can write scripts in flash that do not allow it to run. Also the only file they users will be able to view is the one flash file because it will contain all of the images.

 

[irishScott]

You can't. Worst case (you disable screenshots), you give me a viewable file. If I have enough motivation, I'll just grab my camera, scan through it, and take pictures or the monitor.

 

[sleepkyng]

That's interesting, would there be a way to prompt "disable screenshots" as you open the file?

as for taking pictures using a camera, well yah, there's no avoiding that, but that would inevitablly create distortion and a loss of quality.

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: sleepkyng
That's interesting, would there be a way to prompt "disable screenshots" as you open the file?

as for taking pictures using a camera, well yah, there's no avoiding that, but that would inevitablly create distortion and a loss of quality.

A 6 MP camera could easily pick up size 12 text, let alone higher resolutions. Even detailed diagrams can be zoomed in on.

 

[sleepkyng]

but there's still issues of glare, and the translation from screen to camera.

camera is less of a concern than direct copying and capturing for my purposes.

On the issue of flash based program: how big would that file be if it were just to display a 900kb photo?

 

[nobodyinc]

I am exactly sure how big the flash file would be... best thing to do is test it out.

 

[nobodyinc]

I just tested a 2.72 mb picture in flash and when I made it a movie it was only 2.78 mb

 

[sleepkyng]

so it's like an extra 600k?

how small can you get a file in flash?

down under 1.44mb?

 

[sleepkyng]

ok, i've figured out the front end - using muLinux to prompt "insert floppy" will work perfectly - but as for the file, how does watermarking work?