KVR Audio

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:40 am

A couple of weeks ago I was informed that a couple of my synths are available for download at dontcrack.com. Well, imagine my surprise... I'd never heard of this site and I'd certainly never received any e-mail from them asking for my permission to host them - yes, the files are indeed on their server, and no links to my site.

While I want my synths (freeware) to be available to as many punters as possible, It doesn't seem right to me that a website can host what is after all, copyrighted intellectual property, without asking for (and getting) permission from the copyright holder.

Furthermore, if I know they're being hosted there, then I can inform them about updates etc. I did contact them about this (2 weeks ago) but still haven't received a reply.

There's a ton of software available for download at dontcrack.com, I wonder if any other VST developers here know about this? And if so, did you give permission..?

The site name "dont crack" seems a little ironic now...

farlukar · Post by **farlukar** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:03 am

They're not hosting the files, links are to the original download sites

Gregjazz · Post by **Gregjazz** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:09 am

farlukar wrote:They're not hosting the files, links are to the original download sites

You'd think they'd still need to ask for permission, though, right? Since it's the owner's bandwidth then...

dblue · Post by **dblue** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:19 am

They maintain a pretty big list of plugins/programs that would otherwise be quite difficult for a person to find separately (if they didn't know about KvR of course), with a simple-but-effective search function, so it's quite a valuable resource in that sense. Sure, they're linking directly to the downloads on the developer's website, but they also provide a proper, clear link back to the developer's website.

I agree it's always nice to be asked for your permission first, but overall I don't personally think these types of sites are a big problem. My own Glitch VST has been "catalogued" by several similar websites without my explicit permission. I don't mind so much really, they tend to keep the listing pretty up to date, and by checking my website logs I can see very clearly that there are tons of referrals coming in from those sites.

At the end of the day, regardless of how it happened, it's still more exposure to you and your plugins/products, which can only be a good thing right?

</2cents>

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:22 am

farlukar wrote:They're not hosting the files, links are to the original download sites

Maybe in some cases they are, but not in mine.

I checked.

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downl ... re/Sequin/#

That is their server. Not mine!

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:25 am

I just had a look over there again. There's been over 200 downloads in total for my synths at dontcrack. I'd rather have that traffic at my site.

pw · Post by pw » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:26 am

Andywanders wrote:
farlukar wrote:They're not hosting the files, links are to the original download sites
Maybe in some cases they are, but not in mine.

I checked.

http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downl ... re/Sequin/#

That is their server. Not mine!

you didn't actually click on the download link, did you. When I do it tries to connect me to karamusic site, unsuccesfully. the file is not hosted at don't crack.

dblue · Post by **dblue** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:26 am

Andywanders wrote:http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downl ... re/Sequin/#

That is their server. Not mine!

Their download link opens a little popup window, and inside that window is the proper download link, which, if you examine the status bar of your browser while hovering over the link (or right-clicking the link and choosing "copy link location"), you will see that it actually links to: http://www.karamusicsite.com/synth/Sequin.zip

That links appears to be dead anyway.

M'Snah · Post by **M'Snah** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:28 am

I'd be worried. I couldn't find your synths at plugindex.de, so you miss exposure in about half of Europe

.

btw, dontcrack seems to be a reseller for a.o. Wusik, NUSofting, PSP, so it can't be all bad.

ouroboros · Post by **ouroboros** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:28 am

When I click to download, it attempts to download from kara's music site: the same site listed as the developer's site -both links are dead, though.

johnnytluxury · Post by **johnnytluxury** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:43 am

Damn people bitchin aboput free advertising? This is why the world is f**ked up. Didnt you make the synths for the masses to use? And, let me say this delicately, isnt it f**king FREE?? Do you honestly think that because someone dl'd the synth from another site that they would NOT at visit the maker site if they liked the damn thing? You cant sue, and intellectual property is something you should have read into BEFORE you make something and give it away. Stop bitching or create a synth for a fee that the hackers could advertise for free. Your choice. Im tired of people killin trees for tears of no substance.

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:44 am

dblue wrote:Their download link opens a little popup window, and inside that window is the proper download link, which, if you examine the status bar of your browser while hovering over the link (or right-clicking the link and choosing "copy link location"), you will see that it actually links to: http://www.karamusicsite.com/synth/Sequin.zip

That links appears to be dead anyway.

Okay, maybe I jumped the gun a bit by saying they were hosting - I only looked at the link properties.

But still, the Karma site is indeed dead and that makes it even worse. If they had bothered to contact me in the first place, I would probably have given them permission and the new download links. As it is, dead links make me look bad, not them.

There's absolutely no way in the world I would include another person's intellectual property on my site without getting permission from the copyright owner. That's the law isn't it..? And if it 'aint, it should be.

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:00 am

johnnytluxury wrote:Damn people bitchin aboput free advertising? This is why the world is f**ked up. Didnt you make the synths for the masses to use? And, let me say this delicately, isnt it f**king FREE?? Do you honestly think that because someone dl'd the synth from another site that they would NOT at visit the maker site if they liked the damn thing? You cant sue, and intellectual property is something you should have read into BEFORE you make something and give it away. Stop bitching or create a synth for a fee that the hackers could advertise for free. Your choice. Im tired of people killin trees for tears of no substance.

Who's bitching about free advertising..?

While I want my synths (freeware) to be available to as many punters as possible, It doesn't seem right to me that a website can host what is after all, copyrighted intellectual property, without asking for (and getting) permission from the copyright holder.

I know exactly what intellectual property is and the price of a product doesn't make any difference.

Like I said, if they had bothered to contact me in the first place, they would have got up-to-date information.

Forget it..!

[/quote]

lowercase · Post by **lowercase** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:21 am

M'Snah wrote:btw, dontcrack seems to be a reseller for a.o. Wusik, NUSofting, PSP, so it can't be all bad.

Also Delay Dots.

It's nice that they link free developers. But seeing that they sell products it would be good gesture for them to respond in a timely manner. Especially if they can't respond saying "It's just a link, if you have a problem we'll take it down..." in a timely manner, it would make me a little worried purchasing products from them incase a problem occured.

M'Snah · Post by **M'Snah** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:44 am