This was a common practice back in the days of easily-copyable ROM firmware and boards that were mostly off-the-shelf TTL chips. Companies could copyright the firmware, but not the board design (which is how companies like Franklin and Compaq got to survive).
A lot of arcade videogames have similar things, like the ones that were in Robotron:2084 and Sinistar. Popular arcade titles were counterfeited all the time, this was done as a safety measure if it ever came down to a courtroom verification of the code.
A lot of arcade videogames have similar things, like the ones that were in Robotron:2084 and Sinistar. Popular arcade titles were counterfeited all the time, this was done as a safety measure if it ever came down to a courtroom verification of the code.
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=87198&h...