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Historically, the methods used for software protection have ranged from simplistic to sophisticated. In the 1980s, mechanisms like floppy disks and code wheels were commonplace to safeguard programs. As technology advanced, the 1990s ushered in safeguards like SafeDisk and SecureROM, which claimed to make software piracy-proof, yet these were often broken within a week of release.
Even hardware solutions, such as physical USB dongles, weren't immune to cloning or emulation, illustrating that not even the most robust defenses could keep pirates at bay. Fast forward to the present, and we now have robust Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems that act like a vigilant bouncer at a bar, monitoring users continuously to ensure they are authorized to access the software.