KVR Audio

hibrasil · Post by **hibrasil** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:45 pm

I was quite saddened that a certain team assign released a pirated version of my new plugin less than 24 hours after i put the demo up on my website. I put a massive amount of my time and energy over the last year into this plugin (understatement) and I think it is very reasonably priced. It's not a new story, i'm not the only one it has happened to... by the looks of it it is happening to audio software developers big and small daily. The thing that really frustrates me is that the pirate's networks are so good and filehosting sites so many that the pirated copies hit really high in the google search results.

I knew it would happen but didn't think it would be that quick. In fact, In preparation I made a little fake version that I was going to upload as a joke and to flood the web with so many fakes that it was harder to find the "real" pirated version. I realise now I cannot achieve this alone, but i thought i might ask here if anyone wants to help me out and poke a bit of fun at the same time.

mods, please note these files are not real pirated copies, but fakes. They don't have viruses etc, nothing nasty, just a little joke inside the plugin when launched. I'll give you a clue in that it is endless.

Note, windows only right now.

http://www.olilarkin.co.uk/fun/

Please distribute them far and wide, If anyone has the means to put them on bittorrent sites please do so.

EDIT - actually don't bother

many thanks,

oli larkin

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Sat May 28, 2011 12:49 am

You'll never win that way. No one ever does. You need a better security system. It takes time, effort, and financial commitment to make that sort of thing happen.

By your paying attention to hackers in this manner they win. If you don't give them the attention they need to justify the actions then maybe they don't win as much.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat May 28, 2011 1:39 am

hibrasil, I am so sorry this has happened to you but I fear those links will be gone fairly quickly...you might want to edit them out before a mod does

cosmicdawn · Post by **cosmicdawn** » Sat May 28, 2011 1:46 am

I feel sorry for you. I bought the update from you today and I'm very happy about the price and the product. I think I'm not alone. Those who advocate piracy says that the pirated versions is mostly used by users who wouldn't buy anything anyways. Stupid argument really, but let's hope there is a little bit of truth in that.

xoxos · Post by **xoxos** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:20 am

hey, you're famous!

vata44 · Post by **vata44** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:37 am

You could lower the price to see if that sparks more sales. I know I am interested in the $15 range, but $30... nah. Its interesting, but seems too unique/strange to be useful all the time. Not when for $50 I can get Korg's Mono/Poly.

However it is your product and your choice. Just an idea.

stanlea · Post by **stanlea** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:52 am

Price is fair. But piracy is like a game or a competition for pirates. KVR is a safe place, but rather small compared to the www.

All software can be pirated, even with sophisticated protection system. Maybe your idea is not bad, after all, if there are no legal issues.

Nighthawk77 · Post by **Nighthawk77** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:57 am

vaisnava wrote:You could lower the price to see if that sparks more sales. I know I am interested in the $15 range, but $30... nah. Its interesting, but seems too unique/strange to be useful all the time. Not when for $50 I can get Korg's Mono/Poly.

However it is your product and your choice. Just an idea.

Lowering the price will do nothing to protect you from hackers and warez users.
Unfortunately these guys WILL hack a FREE plugin just to remove the 5 second nag screen.

Price the item what it is worth.
Unfortunately, there are many folks lacking in integrity and honesty, both items of true value.

BUT it is important to remember:

What goes around, comes around.....ALWAYS

Chazmania · Post by **Chazmania** » Sat May 28, 2011 5:04 am

Hi guys

It really is unfortunate that people around the globe have to resort to theft instead of making something on their own merit.. they are like parasites really, feeding off hosts..you the creative force get leached off...
I have no problem with us sharing info and helping inspire by imitation as i have myself gotten great ideas by reading Just KVR and applying my own creativity into my plugs..Its like Music we all build on the past, but these people just steal (i guess its creative to figure out how) but its scummy.
I designed my installer unconventionally to thwart the hackers..They cant hack my brain and figure out what i did so easy. and i am keeping quite...

Cat and mouse...figure out how to thwart them...change the game on them..

Sorry you got burned...we all need to make money off of our creative efforts as well as be generous with what we share.....

Chaz

http://www.3ringcircuits.com/

hibrasil · Post by **hibrasil** » Sat May 28, 2011 2:45 pm

i'm not trying to win or get anyones sympathy to be honest... i know you cant stop it. the version linked above was just a bit of fun really. i deliberately didn't spend time implementing copy protection because i knew it wasn't worth it, it would just get cracked anyway, just a matter of time, unless you pay £££ for something like syncrosoft.

I find it kind of funny that when i was putting out plugins with synthedit they didn't get pirated as badly, at least not by a cracking "group"... i think someone who bought it uploaded it. AFAIK the pluggo v2 of endless series didn't get pirated at all. maybe cos it kind of sucked on windows.

to the person who compared my prices to korg's, i think you need to put things in perspective a bit (no offence) ... korg is rather large company.

oli

IBurstBubbles · Post by **IBurstBubbles** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:28 pm

There are always gonna be people who buy everything they use.
There are always gonna be people who dont buy anything from which they use.
Also, there are always gonna be people who pirate,and then buy when they have the money needed,or when and if they are satisfied with a product.
The thing is that talent always pays off (at least that's what i like to believe) and you will be rewarded for your hard work.
Companies like ImageLine and such werent big from their beggining...And piracy was there too...Look at ImageLine now!

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:46 pm

IBurstBubbles wrote:There are always gonna be people who buy everything they use.
There are always gonna be people who dont buy anything from which they use.
Also, there are always gonna be people who pirate,and then buy when they have the money needed,or when and if they are satisfied with a product.
The thing is that talent always pays off (at least that's what i like to believe) and you will be rewarded for your hard work.
Companies like ImageLine and such werent big from their beggining...And piracy was there too...Look at ImageLine now!

actually as I recall Imageline started out making 'adult' video games

IBurstBubbles · Post by **IBurstBubbles** » Sat May 28, 2011 9:10 pm

Hink wrote:
IBurstBubbles wrote:There are always gonna be people who buy everything they use.
There are always gonna be people who dont buy anything from which they use.
Also, there are always gonna be people who pirate,and then buy when they have the money needed,or when and if they are satisfied with a product.
The thing is that talent always pays off (at least that's what i like to believe) and you will be rewarded for your hard work.
Companies like ImageLine and such werent big from their beggining...And piracy was there too...Look at ImageLine now!
actually as I recall Imageline started out making 'adult' video games

I think at that time was just GOL...

WOK · Post by **WOK** » Sat May 28, 2011 9:48 pm

tapper mike wrote:You'll never win that way. No one ever does. You need a better security system. It takes time, effort, and financial commitment to make that sort of thing happen.

IMHO that's nonsense. Nearly every copy protection has been cracked already. It's just driving the price up and gives hasle to the legal users with dongles and C/R etc.

By your paying attention to hackers in this manner they win. If you don't give them the attention they need to justify the actions then maybe they don't win as much.

IMHO that's more nonsense.
I remember years ago a plugin where many people complained in forums about a "bug" that made the screen fade black after a while - revealing them as users of wares.

The pirates don't need the "attention" of the author. They get it when they see their name in the search engines. So the only working way is to write an email to the abuse contacts of all hosters like Rapidshare etc. They will remove the files. Helping the author in that would indeed be a better way then spreading the fakes around.

All my plugins that have a nagscreen as only "protection" have been warezed already. I would have to spend half of my spare time to visit all these file hosters to remove them (so I would appreciate any help).
The result is, that I will offer only reduced demo versions in the future - what's not inside can not be activated by recompiling. The worst thing I found are sides (seems mainly from china) that are SELLING my plugins (even the free ones) and pretend that it's official.

hibrasil · Post by **hibrasil** » Sat May 28, 2011 10:36 pm

i don't think it's worth the effort emailing rapidshare etc, i have tried in the past but never received a response and the files stayed up.

so now they did the mac version too.

if anyone wants to try my fake version for a laugh i uploaded win and mac builds to my website too, might make a good april fools next april

http://www.olilarkin.co.uk/fun/

I take back my request to distribute the fake version, it wont help the situation

oli

help needed - a little joke from the anti-piracy brigade