DAEMON Tools: Encyclopedia - DAEMON Tools

DAEMON Tools

DAEMON Tools is a proprietary disk image emulator for CD/DVD-ROMs able to mount CD images in virtual drives. The program is able to emulate most copy prevention schemes. This software is available for the Microsoft Windows operating system.

DAEMON Tools was originally a further development of another program, Generic Safedisc emulator and Daemon tools incorporates all of its features.

DAEMON Tools is currently being developed and distributed by DAEMON's Home and is free for non-commercial purposes. The latest version of DAEMON Tools is distributed with adware that is installed by default with DAEMON Tools, but is not necessary to run the program.

daemontools (written by Daniel J. Bernstein) is a completely different program, working only on Unix-based systems.

DAEMON Tools - Uses

Like other disk image emulators, using DAEMON Tools means a user does not have to swap discs to run different programs, which also reduces scratching of the disc. It is useful for those who purchased software, but either lost or damaged the disc, to still be able to use that program.

It can also be used to access software distributed as a disk image (drivers, support files, archives, etc) without the need to burn a physical CD/DVD. This is somewhat similar to how .dmg files are used in Mac OS X.

Several disk images can be loaded at once, which can be useful for installing or using software which ships on multiple discs and requires shuffling between them during use.

DAEMON Tools - Potential for copyright infringement

A potential use of emulation tools such as this one is to copy closed source copyrighted material, which is called copyright infringement. To curb the act of copyright infringement, which often is illegal in many countries, the authors of emulation tools usually state that they do not endorse copyright infringement and that their tools should not be used for that purpose. Authors are quick to put up such statements because of the current attack by content creators on 'unauthorized' free flow in the copyright social conflict, as well as the in the case MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd. held by the United States Surpreme Court that authors could be held liable if they endorse or encourage infringement.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "DAEMON Tools", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki