Re: Software protection against cracks and piracy

From: Hairy One Kenobi (abuse_at_[127.0.0.1)
Date: 10/30/05

  • Next message: YoKenny: "Re: Getting the attention of spyware & adware perpetrators" 
    Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2005 23:13:25 GMT

    "Jim Watt" <jimwatt@aol.no_way> wrote in message
    news:lhg7m1disd7u3568qhmm7ilhge739nqgst@4ax.com...
    > On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 14:46:42 GMT, "Hairy One Kenobi"
    > <abuse@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
    >
    > >> But a lot of the 'piracy costs millions' is hype.
    > >
    > >Agreed. Particularly in the music industry - wish they'd make up their
    mind
    > >as to whether I'm buying a license or the media. Having already had money
    > >from me for both vinyl and CD, damned if I'm going to start buying the
    whole
    > >lot all over again in electronic format!
    >
    > I think you were always buying a licence, looking at the wording
    > on my vinyl, it sought to restrain me from broadcasting the work.

    Indeed. But the whole industry becomes strangely at odds with that view if
    you buy the same CD as an LP that you already own - the license is
    [uniquely] bound to the medium. Not that it /says/ so explicitly, of
    course...

    > You are right about the cost of software, but your analogy with the
    > car is not the same as the software.

    How so..? OK, so the bits to make a Ferrari cost a deal more than a CD,
    package, distribution, support, and a 35% minimum retailer discount, but..
    we're just arguing in the same way as Wilde: not over what's on offer, but
    merely the price.

    > The one that puzzles me was my attempt at shareware, which was
    > half decent and achieved 10,000 downloads yet not one registration
    > I'm tempted to post a keygen for it to see if anyone is interested.
    >
    > Quickly checking google, I see the software available on a number of
    > warez disks, yet without a licence code its not very useful at all
    > and the security was pretty good and specific to the machine.

    Haven't checked warez sites (I've had around 34k direct downloads since
    2003, but all freeware - with a thoroughly open license, there's no point in
    even pretending that someone is saving money!
    http://www.codecutters.org/software/license.html)

    Not sure how the overall development "cost" would stack up, if declared - I
    don't take notes of my free time ;o)

    Personally, I pay for decent shareware (and "naggers" violate my view of
    "decent"). Most of it's crap, TBH. The good stuff is worth the payment but,
    TBH, I think that shareware has pretty much been killed by a combination of
    cooperative freeware and the ease in being able to simply sell software over
    the 'Net.

    Anything that purports to do something useful, but actually doesn't without
    a license key, well, that doesn't get too far down my personal evaluation
    procedure...

    IMHO, of course :o)

    H1K

  • Next message: YoKenny: "Re: Getting the attention of spyware & adware perpetrators"

    Relevant Pages

    • Re: Things you need a TV licence for.
      ... people who don't receive TV signals into buying a license they don't need ... into buying a license or incriminating themselves. ... But it isn't there in isolation and everything else isn't blacked. ...
      (uk.legal)
    • Re: lost activation key help!
      ... time, before buying, that the activation will go through when buying ... friend had purchased a legitimate license, ... kind from eBay is something of a crap shoot. ...
      (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
    • Re: Salonen and DG
      ... 'downloads' OR have you bought other's downloads? ... It's the difference between buying a service and an object. ... The record companies don't want to actually tell you whether you are ... If you're buying a license, and you lose the object, you should be able ...
      (rec.music.classical.recordings)
    • Re: lost activation key help!
      ... time, before buying, that the activation will go through when buying ... And, even then, there's no guarantee that your friend had purchased a legitimate license, anyway. ... Getting a legitimate license of any kind from eBay is something of a crap shoot. ...
      (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
    • Re: VAX software available for download
      ... >> form of a drivers license and a vehicle registration before you can ... I give money, he gives car. ... >> reason why you had to enter into the contract in the first place unless ... but doesn't change the fact that it is the labors of the producer ...
      (comp.os.vms)