Fighting piracy.

MeercatMilker · Post by **MeercatMilker** » 29 Jul 2005, 21:23

Hi, I need your help.

I am the author of FilePacker (http://www.jvwcomputing.com), on the 24th my website’s hits suddenly started to increase dramatically (It reached over 6000 hits per day). When I looked at my web stats, I was shocked to see that 90% of the hits came from websites that had cracks/key generators for FilePacker. What shocked me even more was that their key generators worked even better than the one I coded.

I thought that if I make my software cheap that more people would buy it, but I was wrong. I didn’t even sell enough licences to pay this month’s web hosting.

Do you think that I should use an activation system to register my software?

Jacques

dammod · Post by **dammod** » 29 Jul 2005, 22:06

YES! Use a steam like system...just like HL2 os that the person has to go on the net to register a certain key of somthing like that.

I am really sorry to hear about this MeercatMilker.

MeercatMilker · Post by **MeercatMilker** » 29 Jul 2005, 22:14

dammod wrote:YES! Use a steam like system...just like HL2 os that the person has to go on the net to register a certain key of somthing like that.

I am really sorry to hear about this MeercatMilker.

Steam is not a bad idea, but even Steam was only save from hackers for a day or two.

Jacques

Post by **neon_chameleon** » 29 Jul 2005, 22:21

Hey MeercatMilker, wow that's horrible. Sorry to hear what has happened.

Not that I know much about the workings registation forms and activation of software, but how does this change the trial version to be full version activate work, surely the crackers keygen could be modified to allow for the change? Do you supply a code after the registation?

Maybe have a telephone phone in service to activate the product? Hope you will be able to rectify this piracy some way.

Rid1 · Post by **Rid1** » 29 Jul 2005, 22:39

But still , there will be a cracked copy lurking around, already distibuted to millions! I don't think there's a possible way, only unless you be like Billy and rent out the software!

Kiran · Post by **Kiran** » 29 Jul 2005, 23:30

What about going open-source? Then there would'nt be the need to pirate the software.

You could make your income by providing quality support. And who better to provide such quality support, since you are the original author!

Just an idea.

P.S. Check this out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4727919.stm

dammod · Post by **dammod** » 29 Jul 2005, 23:51

or maybe have the serial on ur site with lots of adds...that way u make ur income off adds!

Kiran · Post by **Kiran** » 30 Jul 2005, 00:02

dammod wrote:or maybe have the serial on ur site with lots of adds...that way u make ur income off adds!

You mean "ads?"

Not a good idea. Personally I hate a site that's packed with ads, most of the time I cancel the page and go elsewhere.

Fishzn · Post by **Fishzn** » 30 Jul 2005, 02:47

Might i suggest that the trial version you provide not allow for key activation? What you have them do is download a trial version, with only basic functionality. If they like it, then they buy the software online through eft/direct deposit etc. Once the payment is verified you provide them with a link to the full version d/l. You might lose some downloads but u also lose piraters. Its just a theory, not too sure about it working in practice!

Website · Post by **hamin_aus** » 30 Jul 2005, 02:54

Fishzn wrote:Might i suggest that the trial version you provide not allow for key activation? What you have them do is download a trial version, with only basic functionality. If they like it, then they buy the software online through eft/direct deposit etc. Once the payment is verified you provide them with a link to the full version d/l. You might lose some downloads but u also lose piraters. Its just a theory, not too sure about it working in practice!

This idea will work.

What guys do is share the URL to the full dopwnload.
So you would need to use some sort of verification, or something like Anti Leech that will prevent the same url from working twice, but thats spending more money, when cash is already low.

Fishzn · Post by **Fishzn** » 30 Jul 2005, 03:31

What guys do is share the URL to the full download

Sneaky lil' Pirates!

Website · Post by **hamin_aus** » 30 Jul 2005, 03:36

Fishzn wrote: Sneaky lil' Pirates!

Shiver me timers!
There be warez in yonder servers, or me name aint Capt'n Jack Sparrow!

MeercatMilker · Post by **MeercatMilker** » 30 Jul 2005, 10:27

Thanks for the replies.

What about going open-source? Then there would'nt be the need to pirate the software.

You could make your income by providing quality support. And who better to provide such quality support, since you are the original author!

Unfortunately I can’t make the software open source.

or maybe have the serial on ur site with lots of adds...that way u make ur income off adds!

I don't really like websites with ads.

Might i suggest that the trial version you provide not allow for key activation? What you have them do is download a trial version, with only basic functionality. If they like it, then they buy the software online through eft/direct deposit etc. Once the payment is verified you provide them with a link to the full version d/l. You might lose some downloads but u also lose piraters. Its just a theory, not too sure about it working in practice!

That was going to be the original plan, but people will just make the full version available for download.

It seems to me that the hackers/crackers use the RSS system of http://www.softpedia.com , because FilePacker was accepted by softpedia on the 24th which is also the day that the first crack was released.

The only good thing the hackers did was to increase the number of downloads of FilePacker.

I think I’m going to ignore the pirated versions of FilePacker for now, I will try to make it more difficult to crack in the future.

Thanks

Jacques

hexXie · Post by **hexXie** » 21 Feb 2006, 13:48

yes, unfortunately you actually do more damage than help to something by doing this...

Last-Attacker · Post by **Last-Attacker** » 26 Feb 2006, 18:42

How about something that can identify the software to a specific user's computer. For instance when the person purchases the program, you issue him/her with a special file, etc. that takes information about that person's computer and maps it to a certain number or whatever that is only bound to that PC! If the person gets a new PC, you perform a certain check to make sure that s/he is the person who purchased it and issue him/her with a new unique "key".

Just an idea. I know that there is a lot to think of and implement but hopefully something to work out of.

If you can successfully implement something like this, then pirated versions won't work because the unique key isn't bound to their PC's.

I think one way (a hard way but none the less) is to modify each version of the app thats sold with a separate app to include an encrypted key of the purchaser and you direct the buyer to that location to download.

Get what I'm saying?

Hope it can help!

wizardofid · Post by **wizardofid** » 26 Feb 2006, 20:28

I have the same problem.I pulled every thing from my website.Till I can find proper copy protection I can't go live.

cYcLIc · Post by **cYcLIc** » 26 Feb 2006, 22:39

No matter how cheap you make software, there will always be pirates. A lot of people don't do online shopping and many of them are you and don't have access to founds. It's quicker for pirates to get a crack and be on ther way. It's a shame. I'm sorry to say, but in my opinion this battle can NEVER be won...ever.