Free software downloads
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I spoke with the developers of a software package for whom I am a beta tester about this issue.
When searching on Google for information about the application I was given lots of links to illegal download sites. I pointed this out to the developers and their pragmatic answer was that they saw little point in wasting effort going after these guys or developing new security code for them to crack as in their view most of the people using cracked versions would probably never be prepared to pay for the application anyway.
The logic seems to be that they are not actually losing anything to the crackers and having more people out there using the application would not be such a bad thing!
Adobe seem to have a technically better solution for dealing with cracked software, making their software phone home every so often. Crackers disable this feature of course, but another check monitors the time since the last successful call home and if there were no successful calls after a certain period the app is disabled or switches into demo mode with the user allowed to purchase a genuine licence. Probably overkill for your app, though.
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Someone once made an interesting thought on software and piracy - their claim was that frequent updates of their software kept the pirates at bay - or at least lagging behind. Instead of building up for large updates they updater more often with smaller updates.
Of course - there's a balance here. Update too often and it's just annoying for the customers - but you get a long way with an built-in automatic updater.
If every update you make require a new crack it's soon going to be tiresome for those frequently using the software. And no one wants to wait for the latest and greatest. So you might be able to convert non-casual users into paying customers.
Interesting idea.
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@al hart said:
I think it would be fun to see how they are doing it.
I put a link in my previous post where you can see lots of protections and how they are defeated (see solutions).
there are a lot of bogus links (e.g. Podium download 700mb when the entire setup is 2mb) full of crap malware, so better wear protection
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@thomthom said:
Someone once made an interesting thought on software and piracy - their claim was that frequent updates of their software kept the pirates at bay - or at least lagging behind. Instead of building up for large updates they updater more often with smaller updates.
Of course - there's a balance here. Update too often and it's just annoying for the customers - but you get a long way with an built-in automatic updater.
If every update you make require a new crack it's soon going to be tiresome for those frequently using the software. And no one wants to wait for the latest and greatest. So you might be able to convert non-casual users into paying customers.
Interesting idea.
frequent updates also give owners and potential owners of your software a sense that your software is always evolving and on the edge (better value), also that the development team is striving to make it the best. so... probably time spent developing features is much more productive and valuable than time spent developing crack protection.
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A young friend recently introduced me to the wonders and pitfalls of torrents. He found, installed, and verified a 1500 dollar suite of software in under an hour. ( I have the same app, but kosher, so now he has to learn how to use it:). Then he tried to dl'd a tv series, but it wasnt, it was a nasty virus, at which point i went home to carry on working with my legal software.
The fact of it is, that you can get anything that is on the web. Anything.
As was mentioned before, there are smart people on both sides, so it is not stoppable imho, apart from employing delaying tactics.
My point tho, most people who want to use an app for serious reasons, are sooner or later going to go legal, it's simply too much bother otherwise. So, as mentioned, I agree, let em go for it.
There is a caveat tho. Its about upgrades. I have a legal macromedia suite MX,(2003). Adobe bought em out,and now its up to csv5. i had a look and theres lotsa stuff there for the uber designers, but really it's like SU7 with every plugin ever invented pre installed. It's a nightmare. And if I'd kept up with every upgrade offered...
...it' bs.Sketchup and its Affiliates are showing the right way to go about this, incremental upgrades, pay for some, not for others, depending on the value delivered.
s'cuse me, gotta go, su9 has just dl'd, gotta install and check out the new features!
baz
Ps: that was a JOKE about SU9! -
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IMO software piracy is an epidemic but not a calamity. Sure every software worth anything or of any benefit will be pirated, there is no way around it.
But who are the people stealing it?Frankly they are people that do not actually use it, most download it because they can and never really spend the time to learn it, hence never really use it. Take 3ds Max as an example, it's the most pirated app as far as I know, yet most folk use it only to convert max objects to other formats and do not actually spend the time to learn it. Vue also is very pirated but because of it's upgrade system and objects, texture, atmospheres that are locked to license it's difficult for a prospective pirate to really take advantage of the stolen software, let alone get any forum support as one needs to register with a valid license.
As far as render solutions go, Vray is the most pirated app by far, but mostly by kids learning the app who will either get over the render thing and flip burgers at Mcdonalds one day or graduate and use the skills they learned with pirated software in a firm that have legitimate licenses and acquire an additional one for their new upcoming render master.
Who really gets screwed is the content providers, like Evermotion who have high quality models which are freely distributed around the web, this is the real problem IMO.
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@unknownuser said:
@unknownuser said:
that was a JOKE about SU9!
Of course because we have yet all Su10
bugger!!!
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Curiously, I was thinking of solos byline when I wrote my rave before. I meant to paraphrase it.
"The average non-paying stealer of software never reads user guides and tutorials, that's why they are only non-paying-stealers of software".
The non-average will get into it which probly equals paid up member.
bazSolo's byeline... The average user never reads user guides and tutorials, that's why they are only average.
BTW: I'm going off deadlines, whooshing or otherwise.
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(off Topic : but as you are Australian and make 3D...
Today is a sad day Brian has left us and has gone to the artist heaven.
Maybe you have crossed him on some 3D forum?
It was a very enthousiastic guy about 3D!
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@unknownuser said:
(off Topic : but as you are Australian and make 3D...
Sorry, I did'nt know him.
baz -
I was really into Maya and quite determined to learn it for several years. They had a great download "Maya PLE" which had a fully functioning program, but was missing fur and a few other really neat items. Since Autodesk bought them, the free Maya disappeared and I lost interest. I even went so far as to get some lessons from a pro, and the piracy issue came up in the course of conversation. He said (after attending Siggraph) that the Maya devs know about piracy, and honestly aren't too worried about it. People using hacked copies never really do much with it, and if they do take it seriously, they wind up buying it to use it professionally. It was a two edged sword for Alias (this was before Autodesk gobbled them up); yeah their software was pirated, but that pirated software got people interested in Maya, and the people that got good enough at it became pros and bought the package. But then, Maya isn't one of those apps that can be used conspicuously in such a small industry.
I'd have to say the most pirated app in existence is Photoshop. Too much out there that's been "photoshopped" by complete amateurs who obviously don't have the knowledge or skill to afford or use a $500-$1,000 piece of software. JMO. Luckily, with the free alternatives like Blender, GIMP, Open Office, InkScape, DoubleCAD, Sketchup, Kerkythea...the list goes on and on, there's little reason to grab warez with great apps like this being fully legal and free.
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Thanks for your comments on this issue.
I have decided not to waste my time worrying abut the pirated versions - but rather to continue to concentrate on improving our products and being responsive to our users.
Al Hart
IRender nXt from Render Plus -
@al hart said:
Thanks for your comments on this issue.
I have decided not to waste my time worrying abut the pirated versions - but rather to continue to concentrate on improving our products and being responsive to our users.
congratulations, positive energy is always more well spent.
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