Wow, Just Wow...

bluenetworx

16 years ago

That is seriously ridiculous!!

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InternetM39482

16 years ago

Originally Posted by GeorgR.

One of my products, "Hotfeed" i discovered today to be shared on another webmaster forum. It's a forum more related to bluefarts

One person admitted that he posted it in the forum to be "shared", and he also admitted that he has the script in his posession without ever having paid for it.

That person just EMAILED ME i should help him setting up the "cracked" version and "...i swear i wont share it on forums if you help me"

Not only did he admit he has the script without ever having paid for it..he wants my help setting it up... WHAT...THE.....

G.

ROFL

This made my day! LOL

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Kenneth Fox 16 years ago

That is just so wrong.
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Steve Diamond 16 years ago

ROFL! At least you have to admit that he has a large pair of brass cojones.

You know, I think it's not a bad idea to drop in from time to time on some of the "bluefart" forums. Not just to see if your products are being ripped off, but also to get a look at some of the techniques that can be used to sabotage legitimate marketing efforts.

Besides, you can get a good laugh now and then too, as in this instance.

Steve
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CDarklock

16 years ago

Lawrence Lessig is a well-known figure in the intellectual property community, and speaks frequently to business groups about copyright and patent and whatnot. He usually does this thing where he shows people the shades of grey in IP law.

He starts out by giving a very good reason why you might not be able to pay for a very expensive software product, and asking if it's wrong to borrow a copy from a friend until you can afford to pay for your own. Most people don't think this is wrong, so he starts going through the shades of grey: what if you don't pay for your own and just keep the copy? What if you give another copy to one of your friends? What if you upload it to a website for anyone to download? And progressively more and more hands go up thinking that it's wrong.

So he's at a college, and he starts asking the questions, and hands aren't going up. Finally, in exasperation, he drops straight to the bottom of the barrel: "Your favorite band just released a CD. You have the money, but you don't want to pay for it. How many of you think it's wrong to download it from the internet and give copies to all your friends?"

In a crowd of five thousand, two hands went up. 0.0004% of the crowd believed it's wrong to steal a CD and pirate it among their friends simply because they don't want to pay. There's no reason. There's no justification. You can refuse to pay for something simply because it is inconvenient, and that is socially acceptable.

It's shocking to most of us old farts, but the overwhelming majority of modern youth simply don't believe it's wrong to download, copy, and share digital products. You can't combat this with technology. You have to combat it socially, because it is a social problem.

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Sissy76

16 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Lawrence Lessig is a well-known figure in the intellectual property community, and speaks frequently to business groups about copyright and patent and whatnot. He usually does this thing where he shows people the shades of grey in IP law.

He starts out by giving a very good reason why you might not be able to pay for a very expensive software product, and asking if it's wrong to borrow a copy from a friend until you can afford to pay for your own. Most people don't think this is wrong, so he starts going through the shades of grey: what if you don't pay for your own and just keep the copy? What if you give another copy to one of your friends? What if you upload it to a website for anyone to download? And progressively more and more hands go up thinking that it's wrong.

So he's at a college, and he starts asking the questions, and hands aren't going up. Finally, in exasperation, he drops straight to the bottom of the barrel: "Your favorite band just released a CD. You have the money, but you don't want to pay for it. How many of you think it's wrong to download it from the internet and give copies to all your friends?"

In a crowd of five thousand, two hands went up. 0.0004% of the crowd believed it's wrong to steal a CD and pirate it among their friends simply because they don't want to pay. There's no reason. There's no justification. You can refuse to pay for something simply because it is inconvenient, and that is socially acceptable.

It's shocking to most of us old farts, but the overwhelming majority of modern youth simply don't believe it's wrong to download, copy, and share digital products. You can't combat this with technology. You have to combat it socially, because it is a social problem.

Generation Mine eh?
You're spot on about this being a social problem.
We're living in a culture of instant gratification and the exultation of the individual over and above everything else. Thankfully there are communities like WF where we can hopefully make some kind of a dint in this "I want it, I desrve it, I'm gonna take it" mentality.

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garyv

16 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Lawrence Lessig is a well-known figure in the intellectual property community, and speaks frequently to business groups about copyright and patent and whatnot. He usually does this thing where he shows people the shades of grey in IP law.

He starts out by giving a very good reason why you might not be able to pay for a very expensive software product, and asking if it's wrong to borrow a copy from a friend until you can afford to pay for your own. Most people don't think this is wrong, so he starts going through the shades of grey: what if you don't pay for your own and just keep the copy? What if you give another copy to one of your friends? What if you upload it to a website for anyone to download? And progressively more and more hands go up thinking that it's wrong.

So he's at a college, and he starts asking the questions, and hands aren't going up. Finally, in exasperation, he drops straight to the bottom of the barrel: "Your favorite band just released a CD. You have the money, but you don't want to pay for it. How many of you think it's wrong to download it from the internet and give copies to all your friends?"

In a crowd of five thousand, two hands went up. 0.0004% of the crowd believed it's wrong to steal a CD and pirate it among their friends simply because they don't want to pay. There's no reason. There's no justification. You can refuse to pay for something simply because it is inconvenient, and that is socially acceptable.

It's shocking to most of us old farts, but the overwhelming majority of modern youth simply don't believe it's wrong to download, copy, and share digital products. You can't combat this with technology. You have to combat it socially, because it is a social problem.

I don't believe in stealing, but I do think that the major music industries are getting what they deserve. For years they have virtually force fed us their fake bands and music, and made it nearly impossible for any one w/ real talent to break into the business. And then they'd make upwards of 1500% profit on CDs that cost them pennies to mass produce. Of course the "fake" artists would complain that the overhead costs were huge, and then later we'd see the same artist living in a castle on MTV cribs.

Then instead of embracing the new technologies, and trying to make it their own, they decided to try and sue anyone using the new technologies. If the Music industry would have bought out the first peer-to-peer system and turned it into an iTunes type of format, they wouldn't be in the dire straights they're in today.

When the music industry sues grandma, because someone in the house is using limewire on her router, then they're perpetuating the "screw the music industry" social behaviors.

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GarrieWilson

16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

And then they'd make upwards of 1500% profit on CDs that cost them pennies to mass produce.

Ummm.

That cd costs a hell of a lot more to mass produce than just a few pennies.

You have to pay:

distributors
stores
band
writers
producers
managers
studio time
record company
marketing
and...

Many of these people get paid PER CD sold.

Most people don't realise why you pay for a song. They think downloading it is the same as recording it off the radio.

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garyv

16 years ago

Originally Posted by GarrieWilson

Ummm.

That cd costs a hell of a lot more to mass produce than just a few pennies.

You have to pay:

distributors
stores
band
writers
producers
managers
studio time
record company
marketing
and...

Many of these people get paid PER CD sold.

Most people don't realise why you pay for a song. They think downloading it is the same as recording it off the radio.

Bands that break into the top 40 (the one's that get downloaded the most) can easily get mass production costs down to less than a dollar per CD. - And I'm not talking about the "Band's" cost, because it's the profit they and the record company are making that I'm talking about. Believe me, the record companies have this down to a science. If you sell over 300k albums, then production costs can easily be under $1 per CD. Leaving a huge winfall for record companies and Bands. And if that weren't true, then you wouldn't see these artists in million dollar mansions, because the math wouldn't add up.

I'm just saying - if the record company and "artists" (I use that term loosely) weren't so greedy, then people would feel a little more remorse when downloading a bootlegged song.

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GarrieWilson

16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

Bands that break into the top 40 (the one's that get downloaded the most) can easily get mass production costs down to less than a dollar per CD.

There are more costs than printing the CD. I gave you some of the other costs to create that cd.

I'm just saying - if the record company and "artists" (I use that term loosely) weren't so greedy, then people would feel a little more remorse when downloading a bootlegged song.

OK. So why are you selling your x-box fix for $30? It doesn't cost you anything. I think $1 would be more fair. After all, your production costs are ZERO.

There isn't a difference in your ebook and a cd. If you could sell 300k copies at $30 you would.

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Michael Taylor

16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

...because it's the profit they and the record company are making that I'm talking about. Believe me, the record companies have this down to a science. If you sell over 300k albums, then production costs can easily be under $1 per CD. Leaving a huge winfall for record companies and Bands. And if that weren't true, then you wouldn't see these artists in million dollar mansions, because the math wouldn't add up.

I understand you want to keep more of your money and if CDs were priced lower you'd get to do that...but what I don't understand is your problem with profit. Even large profits. If I can find a market that would pay for one of my products that yields 3,000% profit, in your eyes is that a problem?

If it is, aren't you in the wrong line of business?

Originally Posted by garyv

I'm just saying - if the record company and "artists" (I use that term loosely) weren't so greedy, then people would feel a little more remorse when downloading a bootlegged song.

People will pirate music even if it cost a nickel a download. And even at those prices they wouldn't feel any remorse.

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garyv

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Michael Taylor

I understand you want to keep more of your money and if CDs were priced lower you'd get to do that...but what I don't understand is your problem with profit. Even large profits. If I can find a market that would pay for one of my products that yields 3,000% profit, in your eyes is that a problem?

If it is, aren't you in the wrong line of business?

People will pirate music even if it cost a nickel a download. And even at those prices they wouldn't feel any remorse.

I'm not against profit, or even excessive profit. I'm just explaining the mindset of those that download bootlegged songs.

And it's not even the profit really that generates this kind of mindset, it's the greediness. For instance, instead of following the customers into the obvious direction they were going (online and digital) they decided to try and fight the customer and sue the customer.

If some day the computer becomes obsolete because of the new "wackdoodle machine", I'm not going to try and sue everyone that tries to convert and distribute my ebooks on the "wackdoodle machine". I'm going to learn how to use the "wackdoodle" and sell my ebooks myself.

I refuse to feel sorry for an industry that has made such huge profits for so many years, and then doesn't invest any money in future technologies until it passes them by. If the Music industry would have invested in a digital distribution system - like iTunes - back in the 90s when mp3s first came out, then they'd have a huge leg up and there wouldn't be such a "free for all" mind set that there is today.

And I don't think that bootlegging is hurting the big music industry nearly as bad as the internet itself is. The internet is the great equalizer. Allowing un-heard talents be heard, and opening up large scale distribution to virtually anyone. You no longer have to be "found" to be a huge success in the music industry. One good youtube video, a website, and a 99 cent iTune can potentially make you rich.

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seasoned

16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

I'm not against profit, or even excessive profit. I'm just explaining the mindset of those that download bootlegged songs.

And it's not even the profit really that generates this kind of mindset, it's the greediness. For instance, instead of following the customers into the obvious direction they were going (online and digital) they decided to try and fight the customer and sue the customer.

If some day the computer becomes obsolete because of the new "wackdoodle machine", I'm not going to try and sue everyone that tries to convert and distribute my ebooks on the "wackdoodle machine". I'm going to learn how to use the "wackdoodle" and sell my ebooks myself.

I refuse to feel sorry for an industry that has made such huge profits for so many years, and then doesn't invest any money in future technologies until it passes them by. If the Music industry would have invested in a digital distribution system - like iTunes - back in the 90s when mp3s first came out, then they'd have a huge leg up and there wouldn't be such a "free for all" mind set that there is today.

And I don't think that bootlegging is hurting the big music industry nearly as bad as the internet itself is. The internet is the great equalizer. Allowing un-heard talents be heard, and opening up large scale distribution to virtually anyone. You no longer have to be "found" to be a huge success in the music industry. One good youtube video, a website, and a 99 cent iTune can potentially make you rich.

OK, that is STUPID! Do you know when the first digital distribution system was made?!?!?!? Well, DO YOU!?!? At least for computers, it was the 70s!!!!! Broadband also hit in the 70s! Networking did! ARCHIVING DID! The first sound formats did! SO, if you don't know that, WHY don't you know that?

Well, the WWW really didn't show up until the 90s, so MOST people just never knew!
Broadband cost an arm and a leg, so only companies could really afford it.
Archiving changed slightly, and has evolved ever since, but is similar!
Sound formats were created by software companies, and not standard.

If companies invested in a system like ITUNES, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get it to work! They didn't have files that could be transferred!!!!!!!!!

It was IMPOSSIBLE to make those files! Do you know why? Because it would have encouraged PIRACY!!!!!!! CDs and Cassettes, BY THEIR NATURE, limit piracy!

Steve

The problem with something that is SO easy to copy is that people figure that the distributor is making a BUNDLE! A record company may pay thousands or even MILLIONS for the rights, millions more for physical stuff, advertising, etc.... And pirates figure if the MP3 could be downloaded for $.03, and is priced at $30, the company is making a killing! The fact MIGHT be that they don't break even for YEARS!

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seasoned

16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

Bands that break into the top 40 (the one's that get downloaded the most) can easily get mass production costs down to less than a dollar per CD. - And I'm not talking about the "Band's" cost, because it's the profit they and the record company are making that I'm talking about. Believe me, the record companies have this down to a science. If you sell over 300k albums, then production costs can easily be under $1 per CD. Leaving a huge winfall for record companies and Bands. And if that weren't true, then you wouldn't see these artists in million dollar mansions, because the math wouldn't add up.

I'm just saying - if the record company and "artists" (I use that term loosely) weren't so greedy, then people would feel a little more remorse when downloading a bootlegged song.

MAN are some people BRAINLESS!!!!!!!

HERE is what you PLANNED to say, and how you THOUGHT!

production costs can easily be under $1 per CD. Leaving a huge winfall for record companies and Bands.

HERE is what you said...

If you sell over 300k albums, then production costs can easily be under $1 per CD.

OBVIOUSLY, since piracy means no "sales", you really tried to say...

If you MADE over 300k albums, then production costs can easily be under $1 per CD.

HERE is your problem!

YOUR math:

$1=$1 Cost 1@ $30 sale=$29 profit!

REAL math:

300,000*$1=$300,000 1 @ $30 sale=over $299,969 LOSS! You have to sell over $10,000 MORE to BREAK EVEN!

BTW Groups have a LOT of records, songs, deals, and there are residuals, etc... from HONEST people. That is one reason so many are so rich. ALSO, each one(record, book, etc...) can take a long time, and is risky. They want to make a LOT when they can to prepare for when they can't.

And you NEVER KNOW! Hoku ho got a lot of residuals just from perfect day on commercials! The guy that wrote "somebody's watching me" is suddenly making money in residuals off that. But dexy's midnight runners had a nice hit. Have you heard IT lately?

And would Miley cyrus have guessed in a million years SHE would do as well?

Frankly, I think $30 for a nice CD is CHEAP! Support the artist you like!

Steve

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Floyd Fisher

16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

I don't believe in stealing, but I do think that the major music industries are getting what they deserve. For years they have virtually force fed us their fake bands and music, and made it nearly impossible for any one w/ real talent to break into the business. And then they'd make upwards of 1500% profit on CDs that cost them pennies to mass produce. Of course the "fake" artists would complain that the overhead costs were huge, and then later we'd see the same artist living in a castle on MTV cribs.

Then instead of embracing the new technologies, and trying to make it their own, they decided to try and sue anyone using the new technologies. If the Music industry would have bought out the first peer-to-peer system and turned it into an iTunes type of format, they wouldn't be in the dire straights they're in today.

When the music industry sues grandma, because someone in the house is using limewire on her router, then they're perpetuating the "screw the music industry" social behaviors.

I for one would love to see your proof of this.

If it costs so little, then the record companies should have obscenely high profit margins (50% and larger). Care to show us some quarterly reports showing this is true?

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CDarklock 16 years ago

Originally Posted by garyv

I don't believe in stealing, but I do think that the major music industries are getting what they deserve.

The thing that disturbs me is that the major labels would have gotten what they deserved ANYWAY. They've made their money for decades by ruthlessly screwing every artist who didn't screw back every bit as hard, and we're entering an era where those artists don't need the labels anymore. They can self-publish and self-promote, keep all their artistic freedom, and make a lot more money than the labels gave them.

Except now we've got this culture of music-stealing. When the labels are dead and gone, that culture won't be. It will stay around, and people will continue to make excuses for it. The artists will still be getting screwed... but now, it will be their ignorant fans instead of an evil corporation.

Somehow, I don't see that as an advance.
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- Jon MacPherson 16 years ago
  
  Unreal, GeorgeR. I'm NOT rolling on the floor laughing; however, I believe there are certain aspects of success that one must endure.
  
  In regard to music, I demure to a higher authority:
  
  GRATEFUL DEAD STATEMENT TO MP3 SITE OPERATORS
  
  The Grateful Dead and our managing organizations have long encouraged the purely noncommercial exchange of music taped at our concerts and those of our individual members. That a new medium of distribution has arisen - digital audio files being traded over the Internet - does not change our policy in this regard.
  
  Our stipulations regarding digital distribution are merely extensions of those long-standing principles and they are as follow:
  
  No commercial gain may be sought by websites offering digital files of our music, whether through advertising, exploiting databases compiled from their traffic, or any other means.
  
  All participants in such digital exchange acknowledge and respect the copyrights of the performers, writers and publishers of the music.
  
  This notice should be clearly posted on all sites engaged in this activity.
  
  We reserve the ability to withdraw our sanction of noncommercial digital music should circumstances arise that compromise our ability to protect and steward the integrity of our work.
  
  Good Luck George and congratulations on your success.
  
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  Steve Diamond 16 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Jon MacPherson
  
  I'm NOT rolling on the floor laughing;
  
  Since this was said, and since I'm one of those who expressed amusement earlier in the thread, I'd like to clarify my attitude.
  
  Above all, I was not laughing at GeorgeR and his predicament. Not in the slightest. I was laughing at the chutzpah displayed by the guy who asked for support for his pirated copy.
  
  It stinks, but it's reality. No amount of social engineering is going to stuff the genie back into the bottle at this point, IMO. That's why I suggested in my earlier post that folks who aren't aware of this scene ought to hang out in the BlueFart forums occasionally. If you really care about protecting your products from people like these (who probably aren't potential customers anyway, BTW) then find out what they're up to and try to stay one step ahead. Jeremy Morgan has the right idea with his proprietary license system.
  
  Steve
  
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TheNightOwl 16 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

the overwhelming majority of modern youth simply don't believe it's wrong to download, copy, and share digital products... it is a social problem.

Interesting story. Thanks for sharing. Nice background and build up.

Here's one for ya...

I was out boozing a few months ago with some people. The ages were quite mixed. A gal my age (let's call her Susan) and I were chatting with a girl in her early 20s (let's call her Maria) about music and stuff.

Maria proudly/defiantly (but jovially rather than in any especially adversarial way) declared that she hadn't paid for a CD for 3 years.

Susan seemed surprised and interested. Maria told her about SiteXYZ and SiteABC where she could download stuff for free, no problem!

I held off from commenting until Susan asked Maria if it was all legitimate and above-board.

"Sure, sure! No problem!" she roared, fobbing her off.

I chimed in to Susan that it, uh, wasn't exactly legal. Okay, yeah, I've copied stuff so I wasn't casting any stones there, I just wanted to make it clear to (the somewaht naiive Susan???) that these sites are illegal filesharing networks and I took Maria somewhat to task for not declaring that upfront.

Maria got somewhat indignant and Susan went off to talk to someone else. Maria and I chatted about it a bit. I told her "Look, I don't give a toss whether you download music illegally [coz i don't], but I don't think it's right to tell Susan or anyone else who's not up to speed with bit-torrent and warez that it's all hunky-dorey when you know full well it ain't."

She hasn't really spoken to me since.

Again, it's not so much the fact that someone copies a few things illegally. I mean, who hasn't? I remember being at school and copying things onto cassette tape from my friends.

Strangely enough I'm now replacing all those tapes (which were clapped out some time ago!) with brand spanking new CDs and/or downloads. So it turns out the artists are getting paid after all (but clearly not in all cases!).

Thing is, though, digital music doesn't degrade like tape.

And coupled with the actual attitude that CDarklock identified, ouch.
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kswr123

16 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Lawrence Lessig is a well-known figure in the intellectual property community, and speaks frequently to business groups about copyright and patent and whatnot. He usually does this thing where he shows people the shades of grey in IP law.

He starts out by giving a very good reason why you might not be able to pay for a very expensive software product, and asking if it's wrong to borrow a copy from a friend until you can afford to pay for your own. Most people don't think this is wrong, so he starts going through the shades of grey: what if you don't pay for your own and just keep the copy? What if you give another copy to one of your friends? What if you upload it to a website for anyone to download? And progressively more and more hands go up thinking that it's wrong.

So he's at a college, and he starts asking the questions, and hands aren't going up. Finally, in exasperation, he drops straight to the bottom of the barrel: "Your favorite band just released a CD. You have the money, but you don't want to pay for it. How many of you think it's wrong to download it from the internet and give copies to all your friends?"

In a crowd of five thousand, two hands went up. 0.0004% of the crowd believed it's wrong to steal a CD and pirate it among their friends simply because they don't want to pay. There's no reason. There's no justification. You can refuse to pay for something simply because it is inconvenient, and that is socially acceptable.

It's shocking to most of us old farts, but the overwhelming majority of modern youth simply don't believe it's wrong to download, copy, and share digital products. You can't combat this with technology. You have to combat it socially, because it is a social problem.

Totally, 110% on the nail. I would put myself in that 0.0004%, but I actually think it may be less.

Nobody I know who is my age/at my school pays for anything. Period. Games, software, music, films, you name it, they have it. And the still have their pocket money from last year.

I actually feel that it is 30% laziness. Let me give you an example:

A friend I know paid another friend of mine £20 for a popular software bundle, retailing at over £6000 for everything.

Why? He could not be bothered to wait 4 days for the download...

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warfore

16 years ago

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Lawrence Lessig is a well-known figure in the intellectual property community, and speaks frequently to business groups about copyright and patent and whatnot. He usually does this thing where he shows people the shades of grey in IP law.

He starts out by giving a very good reason why you might not be able to pay for a very expensive software product, and asking if it's wrong to borrow a copy from a friend until you can afford to pay for your own. Most people don't think this is wrong, so he starts going through the shades of grey: what if you don't pay for your own and just keep the copy? What if you give another copy to one of your friends? What if you upload it to a website for anyone to download? And progressively more and more hands go up thinking that it's wrong.

So he's at a college, and he starts asking the questions, and hands aren't going up. Finally, in exasperation, he drops straight to the bottom of the barrel: "Your favorite band just released a CD. You have the money, but you don't want to pay for it. How many of you think it's wrong to download it from the internet and give copies to all your friends?"

In a crowd of five thousand, two hands went up. 0.0004% of the crowd believed it's wrong to steal a CD and pirate it among their friends simply because they don't want to pay. There's no reason. There's no justification. You can refuse to pay for something simply because it is inconvenient, and that is socially acceptable.

It's shocking to most of us old farts, but the overwhelming majority of modern youth simply don't believe it's wrong to download, copy, and share digital products. You can't combat this with technology. You have to combat it socially, because it is a social problem.

Agree but sadly it seems to be very acceptable behavior of the younger generations but whose fault is that? Us older generation people who have or had the responsibility to teach them better....

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TommyG

16 years ago

That person either has a lot of nerve or is seriously stupid!!

I'd say help him

Provide him with a "new" version of your software. If it does stuff like RSS feeds make it so that it will blast his stuff out so much that his site gets banned from RSS feed sites or added to every spam list in the world making his domain virtually useless as a reputable site. That'll teach 'em!

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spicer

16 years ago

Unbelievable, it is simply amazing what some people will find acceptable.

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SullyUI 16 years ago

Yes, just because it's easier to steal doesn't mean it's any less unethical.
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indexphp

16 years ago

You really just need to accept it and move on and sell copies via your marketing... ESPECIALLY if it's an IM product.

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NashRyker

16 years ago

Wow, some people have absolutely no sense. Common sense is not so common is it? LOL

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sevenish

16 years ago

Yeah. Wow.

I'd say have a laugh, ignore it and move on. I think it may be the paradox of a compliment that others are trying so hard to steal your wares.

Plus, you're not losing sales from those types. Gotta say though, the guy's got balls.

But yeah ... wow.

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Allen Graves

16 years ago

Write him a little virus and tell him to run it and your program will fully install.

What a waste of sperm...

AL

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Floyd Fisher 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Allen Graves

Write him a little virus and tell him to run it and your program will fully install.

What a waste of sperm...

AL

Yeah, and they report you, and you end up in jail.

Report this little cretin to his ISP, and let him eat dialup for a couple of years. :p
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- Planetpeoplefinder 16 years ago
  
  Incredible! Some of us working our *sses off to make money online, and others working to take that money away from us....:rolleyes:
  
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Nigel Greaves

16 years ago

I hope you sent it to him and offered to help him if he had any problems. Do you think his ISP might be interested in his admission of theft?

It's probably surprising who some of the thieves are on the internet. There's a high posting Warrior from New York who I did some article rewriting for who stole them by "forgetting" to pay and posted them on his sites. The legal team at 1and1.com didn't seem to see it in the same light and his brand new domains were pulled down in double quick time.

Nigel

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JaySabree

16 years ago

That was too funny

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DotComBum

16 years ago

Tell him to pay for his copy if he want your help

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AdInventive

16 years ago

Most bands these days make their real money from touring. The sales of albums over the past 9 years has dropped significantly.

Looking past the whole right or wrong thing one just has to adapt.

There's a reason why more and more people these days are simply giving away a product up front...backend sales.

The music industry will soon be no different and it's already starting to happen with some major bands.

Otherwise to stem the flow of piracy one must offer something that is of real worth, that people can't get from anywhere else but them.

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Captivated Marketing

Banned 16 years ago

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PhiltheBear 16 years ago

I'm just amazed that the guy asked you for help. You would have thought that maybe he might have considered getting his arse sued off.
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hipnol 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Captivated Marketing

haha..."we offer FULL SUPPORT" for anyone who has stolen our product and openly admits it...must add that to my faq page...

LOL !!! This is horribly funny
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ghyphena 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Captivated Marketing

we offer FULL SUPPORT" for anyone who has stolen our product and openly admits it

But only IF you promise not to share it with others. It's an important qualification

Gil-Ad
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zankee

16 years ago

In a world of shark infested waters, it would be silly to assume this type of theft is not going on

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Smokey_Joe

16 years ago

I heard the latest Windows media player can scan your computer for pirated music and bang! the files magically disappear or are transformed into clipped demo versions. Haven't seen that myself though...

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seasoned

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Smokey_Joe

I heard the latest Windows media player can scan your computer for pirated music and bang! the files magically disappear or are transformed into clipped demo versions. Haven't seen that myself though...

Technically, that is ILLEGAL! It can ALSO be a PR nightmare. ALSO, by definition, such a program is a TROJAN! Of course, HOW do they know the stuff is PIRATED!?!?!?

Steve

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Steven Carl Kelly

16 years ago

"Help me set it up and I won't share it with hundreds of other people"?

Sounds like extortion. A threat. "Help me or I'm going to release a cracked version of your product and it will cost you hundreds or thousands in revenue".

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Shlomi Khutoretsky

16 years ago

Steal something he created, and tell him that you'll give it back once he returns yours,
LOL

Just let it go, think of it as part of your viral marketing system, you can't fight it.

Or better idea, edit your code and add some affiliate links, to try and monetize these people who get it for free.

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Sam Smith

16 years ago

Getting further off the original topic, I want to comment on the CD analogy.

What the music industry is doing now does seem to be profiting when people steal the music... which is an approach I heard some big name guru I forget the name of right now say about IM stuff.

In a way, the downloaders are just "moving the freeline". People get the music (samples) and then buy tickets to see people perform.

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Jeremy Morgan 16 years ago

This is why I spent a weekend a few months ago developing a proprietary license system. All software I sell must contact my server and get a proper authentication before it will work. Can it be cracked? Yes. But it would be tough.

I decided not to go with any off the shelf licensing system because everyone knows how to crack those. I also decided to make it server controlled, so if someone does a chargeback I can shut it off. I created my own hybrid system that would be tough to figure out.

Eventually someone will work hard enough, and come up with a crack for my software, which is why I'm already working on another version for when that happens. But the bottom line is: I spent a weekend to create a layer of protection that so far has been well worth it.

PM me if you want some Ideas on how to build one. It's tougher with scripts, but it can be done.
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GarrieWilson 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Sam Smith

In a way, the downloaders are just "moving the freeline". People get the music (samples) and then buy tickets to see people perform.

That doesnt help the people who get royalties from CD/digital sales. You know, the producers, writers, etc.

There are more people in the machine than just the bands and record company.

This video shows what one band thinks of the machine.

YouTube - Vote For THIS Video In The Kerrang...
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Shaka

16 years ago

This is a ridiculous situation where this guy has not bothered to put this brain in 1st gear. I don't think it is funny at all but I would respond to him and try to ascertain how he obtained your product.

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CPA

16 years ago

It's the same as emailing adobe if they wanted to help you set up a cracked version of photoshop.

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kswr123

16 years ago

Originally Posted by CPA

It's the same as emailing adobe if they wanted to help you set up a cracked version of photoshop.

No offence but I doubt that George makes as much as Adobe. Same concept, different thing entirely.

Why? I am willing to bet Adobe have a kick-ass legal team just waiting to pounce.

Us IMers probably have a lawyer or two...

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CPA

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Mubarak Waseem

No offence but I doubt that George makes as much as Adobe. Same concept, different thing entirely.

Why? I am willing to bet Adobe have a kick-ass legal team just waiting to pounce.

Us IMers probably have a lawyer or two...

It looks like it's being shared on the bhw forums. I know what it's like to see your product being shared and off some places you can't even get it removed but there's advice available around this forum too on how to handle situations like this.

After all bhw (i'm using bhw because it would of been bluefarted

) isn't a warez forum and there's a lot of ideas and methods that you can learn from there. I've seen methods off that forum being rehashed and sold. You can simply report the file to the site where your product is uploaded to like for example rapidshare (I did once and the files got removed fast) and I'm sure that they don't share each other's stuff so if you're a member they'll probably remove your file which doesn't pretty much applies to most of the warez forums if we're not talking about bhw which isn't one.

Originally Posted by Poglia

OMG... are you serious? This guy is really an idiot.

Were you talking to me? Even if you waren't offending other members is as far as I'm concerned against the rules here and you can get an infraction easily.

CPA

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kswr123

16 years ago

chutzpah

please clarify - it sounds like a yiddish-american-italian crossover, but I don't know...

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Steve Diamond

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Mubarak Waseem

please clarify - it sounds like a yiddish-american-italian crossover, but I don't know...

Yeah, it's Yiddish-American. Pretty mainstream American for at least several decades, I think. See the definitions at chutzpah definition | Dictionary.com.

Yiddish term for courage bordering on arrogance, roughly equivalent to "nerve"

Steve

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kswr123

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Steve Diamond

Yeah, it's Yiddish-American. Pretty mainstream American for at least several decades, I think. See the definitions at chutzpah definition | Dictionary.com.

Steve

And that is why I love this forum...

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Poglia

16 years ago

OMG... are you serious? This guy is really an idiot.

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WendellC 16 years ago

Just thought I'd toss in my 2 cent observation, to expand upon CDarklock's post about the younger generation not viewing CD copies as piracy.

I believe the different views on piracy and copyrights is not only generational, but cultural as well.

For some cultures private ownership rights are not as clearly defined as they are in the US, either from a social or legal standpoint.

Some cultures look at ownership more from a communal view as opposed to a private or individual view.

Now I'm not saying that the person discussed in the original post was thinking "communally" -- he was probably a flat out crook.

I just think sometimes certain cultures truly and honestly look at electronic products such as software and music as being community property and that it's socially OK -- and even encouraged -- to "share" it with others.

I don't agree with that notion. It's just something I've observed.

Wendell
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Uncle Dimitry

16 years ago

Create a program, which will track him down, come to his house and kick his hacker ass

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CPA 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Uncle Dimitry

Create a program, which will track him down, come to his house and kick his hacker ass

But let's face it. Piracy will always exist. I might get flamed for this but I'm pretty sure there is no possible way of your product not being shared at least once (unless it's xrummer ). I mean just take a look at, I already mentioned photoshop for example. There are thousands of people leeching it at any moment via torrent and warez forums. And still companies like adobe profit from their software. What people don't understand is that you can even gain customers from those kind of sites. I'm not some kinda warez geek but if the people from those sites really like your suff they will probably go ahead and buy it from you. Even though you might lose a few sales by having your product shared I'd suggest you don't give up and keep on what you've been doing and the sales will continue. You will always have loyal customers that will enjoy every one of your products. Just try to provide value, value your customers and don't pay a lot of attention to this. I always try to spend my energy helping my customers other than wasting a lot of time trying to stop my product from being shared.
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Steve King

16 years ago

stealing your product, admitting it too...that probably qualifies him for lifetime free upgrades too...what do you say to someone like that to make them understand?
what a plonker

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mmacken

16 years ago

What a joke, I don't know what I would do in your situation tbh.