Illegal Release of my software: VIRUS WARNING (Maybe a SCAM)

[tapper mike]

When there is no profit in a software field that field dies.

As for saving passwords user login details etc a stick in time saves nine. As soon as I buy something I commit the important information to a spreadsheet. I can easily locate the documentation for any software product I've purchased over the last 15 years.

[arkmabat]

When there is no profit in a software field that field dies.

As for saving passwords user login details etc a stick in time saves nine. As soon as I buy something I commit the important information to a spreadsheet. I can easily locate the documentation for any software product I've purchased over the last 15 years.

Excellent use of a spreadsheet. I'm going to start compiling all my purchased software keys in Excel. So much easier than looking through old emails and cd cases, wishing never to upgrade to a new computer. ...

[asdfrewq]

Hi this is Saverio from HoRNet Plugins... i really don't care about warez. Plugins are going to be pirated anyway, you could work hard and spend some time protecting them well with serial, time bombs etc but in my opinion every line you add to the code is a potential bug, and it has to be processed by the CPU somehow. So no protection in my plugins, the only annoy the ones who buy them.
More, the cracked versions of my plugins are cracked demos, they have to modify the assembler adding jumps here and there, i wouldn't trust cracked plugins for serious work, it's software blindly modified by someone who doesn't understand how your code is written... who use cracked software is not serious about his work and really I don't want them as customers.

Saverio

Good attitude, I just realized that I had some extra cash so I went ahead and purchased ChannelStrip MK2 (like, just now...)

[Tronam]

And is any software that has never been cracked? I don't think so...

That's not really true anymore. Cubase (and Wavelab for that matter) have been secure for 8 years now. Most anything protected by iLok2/Eden is uncompromised as well, meaning (for example) no Softube cracks for the past 3 years. This protected TSAR-1 since its release. CodeMeter dongle hasn't ever been circumvented which has protected Record & Reason 6/7 ever since. Before that Reason 5 had to be one of the most warezed music apps of all (second only to Waves plugins or maybe Sylenth1). It turns out that a lot of software is pretty safe these days. How inconvenient they all are is open to debate. Some people like having all their software licenses in one place that they can just plug into their computer and go without having to worry about entering 40 serial numbers and key files or challenge & response internet handshakes. It just depends on the individual. I feel pretty indifferent about it. Propellerhead, for example, made their ignition key authorization very flexible and accommodating. It isn't really inconvenient at all.

[emergeaudio]

And is any software that has never been cracked? I don't think so...

That's not really true anymore.

I was curious about that, checked it and looks like you are ...right
Unfortunately I found my own soundpacks in illegal distribution

That idea with spreedsheet is a good one and I have it try it out (maybe except IK multimedia... it's always a mess to authorize it)

[Tronam]

And is any software that has never been cracked? I don't think so...

That's not really true anymore.

I was curious about that, checked it and looks like you are ...right
Unfortunately I found my own soundpacks in illegal distribution

That idea with spreedsheet is a good one and I have it try it out (maybe except IK multimedia... it's always a mess to authorize it)

My feelings on this have changed over the years. Nowadays I pretty much wish all software was 100% uncrackable with friendly demos. I see a lot of piracy apologists in forums around the web and while I agree that a certain percentage of people simply wouldn't buy anything they couldn't steal, I absolutely believe it would force the majority of casual thieves to start prioritizing their budgets with greater emphasis on software, because they always somehow manage to scrape together enough money to buy the computer hardware to run it on. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice that the *perceived value* of digital media has been eroding, especially over the past 15 years and it's troubling to think of the younger generations in particular growing up primarily seeing "value" only in hard goods.

[fmr]

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice that the *perceived value* of digital media has been eroding, especially over the past 15 years and it's troubling to think of the younger generations in particular growing up primarily seeing "value" only in hard goods.

Very much true, but I think it were the hardware manufacturers who induced this type of value perceiveness. Now, it's too late, I'm afraid. Kids are used to get contents for free, and the spreading of "apps" for free or almost for free will lead to the perceived value of software to fall to the same level.

[GalleryHakon]

I think software piracy is on its way down - and I also don't think it's as big a problem as some people make it out to be. One can't even get on PirateBay in Britain anymore as the providers are required by law to block access, I think. That's a good thing.

I also think most people who download pirated software wouldn't be able to afford all they download in the first place, so there is not necessarily a loss of revenue - certainly not to the extent that the music business has been ardently claiming the last two decades - but they might be future customers of the real thing.

Once I heard about a survey that showed that people downloading things illegally, whether it was music, movies or software, also were the ones who spent the most money on such products.

I do hear a lot about people going on about how there are trojans and whatnot in all cracked software, and others saying that it's just the cracks or key generators creating false positives.

When I was younger and couldn't afford anything, I had a lot of pirated software, but my philosophy is that if you use it and like it, you should buy it. If you make money from it, you definitely buy it. Pirated software, if that is your thing, should only be considered an extended trial download.

[whyterabbyt]

One can't even get on PirateBay in Britain anymore

hate to tell you, but this just isnt true.

[WOK]

Most anything protected by iLok2/Eden is uncompromised as well, meaning (for example) no Softube cracks for the past 3 years. This protected TSAR-1 since its release. CodeMeter dongle hasn't ever been circumvented which has protected Record & Reason 6/7 ever since.

A dongle is the number one to keep me away from a software. I would never harm my system with these system deep drivers - and I think I am not alone with this. So these companies may gain 20% more customers that are able and willing to pay because they don't find it on warez sites - and they loose 20% others who hate dongles. So the effort for the copy protection would have better invested for improving the software and the support....
On second avert place for me is the online activation - an annoying procedure for legit customers and a potential risk off loss if it's a small company (and it gets cracked anyway - so for what?)

[whyterabbyt]

Most anything protected by iLok2/Eden is uncompromised as well, meaning (for example) no Softube cracks for the past 3 years. This protected TSAR-1 since its release. CodeMeter dongle hasn't ever been circumvented which has protected Record & Reason 6/7 ever since.

A dongle is the number one to keep me away from a software. I would never harm my system with these system deep drivers - and I think I am not alone with this. So these companies may gain 20% more customers that are able and willing to pay because they don't find it on warez sites - and they loose 20% others who hate dongles. So the effort for the copy protection would have better invested for improving the software and the support....

Yeah if its an exact balance like that. Thing is, thats just a guess on your part; they're the ones who actually add up their numbers and decide if the investment works out for them.

Its fair enough that individuals dont like dongles, but it makes no sense that one of the arguments that they commonly fall back on is that it doesnt work, economically or otherwise, for the companies who go down that route, with the added projection that there are so many people who wont use them that it 'hurts' their sales. Clearly it works for them, clearly they manage without those sales; otherwise they wouldnt be doing it.
They're hardly likely to be more ignorant of their sales, markets and balance sheets than some random bods on an internet forum making it up to suit their own prejudices... And really, there arent actually that many of those bods, they're just exceptionally vociferous on the subject, whether its been done to death or not.

[EcHo2K]

Hi this is Saverio from HoRNet Plugins... i really don't care about warez. Plugins are going to be pirated anyway, you could work hard and spend some time protecting them well with serial, time bombs etc but in my opinion every line you add to the code is a potential bug, and it has to be processed by the CPU somehow. So no protection in my plugins, the only annoy the ones who buy them.
More, the cracked versions of my plugins are cracked demos, they have to modify the assembler adding jumps here and there, i wouldn't trust cracked plugins for serious work, it's software blindly modified by someone who doesn't understand how your code is written... who use cracked software is not serious about his work and really I don't want them as customers.

Saverio

Good attitude, I just realized that I had some extra cash so I went ahead and purchased ChannelStrip MK2 (like, just now...)

Thank you very much! I hope you like it

Anyway if you have any suggestion just let me know I always try to improve software upon my customer requests.


Regarding the topic of the thread...ILOK is secure, but have you tried to have a look to the costs? Only a few manufacturer can afford that, not certainly an independent developer, and this is not taking into consideration the dongle issue (that i personally hate because i often use plugins live and carrying a dongle around is not something i like...)

Saverio

[OzWozEre]

The only thing that hurts software companies who use dongle protection is that they will never win online voting competitions!

Those competitions are only won by warez software now

FruityLoops is the most popular DAW!

[WOK]

Thing is, thats just a guess on your part; they're the ones who actually add up their numbers and decide if the investment works out for them. Its fair enough that individuals dont like dongles, but it makes no sense that one of the arguments that they commonly fall back on is that it doesnt work, economically or otherwise, for the companies who go down that route, with the added projection that there are so many people who wont use them that it 'hurts' their sales. Clearly it works for them, clearly they manage without those sales; otherwise they wouldnt be doing it.

But they can't measure the result. Maybe they waste there money for the dongle protection. If dongles would be the only way to stay in business, why are there great companies that persist without them (like U-HE for example).
I think most dongled plugs are just overpriced (maybe because of the dongle?)
I just want to say online-activated and even dongled plugs get cracked, and users of these cracks have a benefit towards the honest users - and that's ridiculous.

[Lotuzia]

Most anything protected by iLok2/Eden is uncompromised as well, meaning (for example) no Softube cracks for the past 3 years. This protected TSAR-1 since its release. CodeMeter dongle hasn't ever been circumvented which has protected Record & Reason 6/7 ever since.

A dongle is the number one to keep me away from a software. I would never harm my system with these system deep drivers - and I think I am not alone with this. So these companies may gain 20% more customers that are able and willing to pay because they don't find it on warez sites - and they loose 20% others who hate dongles. So the effort for the copy protection would have better invested for improving the software and the support....
On second avert place for me is the online activation - an annoying procedure for legit customers and a potential risk off loss if it's a small company (and it gets cracked anyway - so for what?)

Its rather sad, at least for me to see a developper bashing other developpers on the only criteria that they use other protection methods than the one he uses himself. This kind of attitude tends to limit seriously my natural empathy for those who have seen some of their products warezed ( As its also my case with one of my soundbanks, and I'll recall here that almost all my products have no protection. Zero. Nada )

Then, sadness also comes when this developper is so misinformed and only concerned by his own POV that he will spread some false informations. Not only some dongled products remain unviolated, but also some products protected with simple serials, like some Xils units, wich have been so badly c_acked that when people try to import one c_acked soundbanks I made for them, they are confronted to very funny problems. For good reasons. So instruments are not "cr_cked anyway". This is just false, and other companies have also developped some similar proper protection systems, aka "time bombs" as a generic term, wich make the life of w_rez users much more difficult than it use to be.

Apart from that you state that companies may loose 20% for that, loose 20% for this, and in the end the sesult is null. Lets be honnest : You dont have anything to back up this argument. No sales figures, no nothing. This is just specualtion from your part.

If I were you I would simply post on the eventual benefits of the method you choose to use, rather than bashing other devs and their methods. All protection methods have their pros and their cons, including the 'no protection' ones. The fact that there are successfull companies that employ very different methods ( from dongle to no protection) should eventually lead people to think that there might be something else involved in the success of aa company than just "protection schemes" . Maybe its talent, maybe its marketing, maybe its management, maybe its a mix a all that, and eventually more than that, with other things, like matching the expectations of their users. But only protection ? I honnestly dont think so.

Sorry, but you just lost a bit of the total natural empathy I had for you.