• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

If you're thinking of pirating SW, read this

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
I would have called my credit card company and cancelled payment. I wouldn't pay for spyware.

You didn't agree to any EULA. So don't put up with anything from the spyware company.
 
Originally posted by: BladeVenom
I would have called my credit card company and cancelled payment. I wouldn't pay for spyware.

You didn't agree to any EULA. So don't put up with anything from the spyware company.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is a very good point. What if you'd purchased the software and given it to a neighbor parent as a gift because they couldn't afford to buy it. Then they do the install on two computers not knowing about licenses, and the software company then comes after you because you purchased it?!? That'd just be wrong! :|

 
Originally posted by: Doomer
When I got the first email, I didn't know he had loaded it on 2 other machines so I was very liberal in expressing my opinion about the whole stinking mess. But when the came back with the info they did, I didn't have a legal leg to stand on. The main reason I convinced him to pay instead of uninstall is it should cost him something for the grief he caused me. Even if I wasn't the one to get the money.

I agree 100% that this is underhanded and unethical and maybe even illegal. But then again, so is pirating SW.
Click to expand...

Did it say anything in the EULA about phoning home?
 
Originally posted by: BladeVenom
I would have called my credit card company and cancelled payment. I wouldn't pay for spyware.

You didn't agree to any EULA. So don't put up with anything from the spyware company.
Click to expand...


Very good point. You also aren't the one who installed the software either. What you could have done would have been to point them to the guy who installed the single user copy on 3 computers and let them deal with him. They had no legal reason to come after you, just because you bought it.
 
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: Doomer
When I got the first email, I didn't know he had loaded it on 2 other machines so I was very liberal in expressing my opinion about the whole stinking mess. But when the came back with the info they did, I didn't have a legal leg to stand on. The main reason I convinced him to pay instead of uninstall is it should cost him something for the grief he caused me. Even if I wasn't the one to get the money.

I agree 100% that this is underhanded and unethical and maybe even illegal. But then again, so is pirating SW.
Click to expand...

Did it say anything in the EULA about phoning home?
Click to expand...

I didn't read the EULA (who does 😀) but this is a good point. If it's not in the EULA then, amongst other things, they are stealing bandwidth from yu.
 
Originally posted by: Doomer
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: Doomer
When I got the first email, I didn't know he had loaded it on 2 other machines so I was very liberal in expressing my opinion about the whole stinking mess. But when the came back with the info they did, I didn't have a legal leg to stand on. The main reason I convinced him to pay instead of uninstall is it should cost him something for the grief he caused me. Even if I wasn't the one to get the money.

I agree 100% that this is underhanded and unethical and maybe even illegal. But then again, so is pirating SW.
Click to expand...

Did it say anything in the EULA about phoning home?
Click to expand...

I didn't read the EULA (who does 😀) but this is a good point. If it's not in the EULA then, amongst other things, they are stealing bandwidth from yu.
Click to expand...

This "phoning home" stuff is crap. Other then network access specifically required to do its stated job, an application should *never* touch the network without your explicit permission. And not some statement buried in the EULA. More like

I am about to phone home to register myself. Here is the data I have collected from your computer which will be sent back ...
<continue> <cancel>
Click to expand...

If they want to make that "phoning home" a condition of installing the software, fine. But be up front about it.

Everybody write your congressmen! 😀
 
Originally posted by: Doomer
Originally posted by: Super56K
You should change title to: if your thinking of pirating software and registering it under your name read this.

That sounds like that is how you would compare what your friend was doing, and pirating in this case.

Also, you gave up kind of easy there didn't you? I understand it's your ass on the line, not your friend, but him just uninstalling the extra copies probably could have resolved everything and saved your friend the extra money he had to spend.

edit: after reading your post after mine he probably would have bought more copies anyways if he would have known it was required from the onset right?
Click to expand...


FOR THE LAST FRIGGIN TIME, GUYS.

This has nothing to do with registering the SW. It was not registered per se. The got my PI when I bought the SW because I paid with a cc. The SW phoned home and said "here I am 3 times".

So............................

They knew it was loaded on 3 machines because the SW phoned home.

They knew who to contact because I bought that particular license with a cc.


Geeeeeeez, I hope this clears it up. 🙁
Click to expand...

3 Machines? So you *did* install it on your machine as well? 😕
 
Originally posted by: Doomer
About a week ago, I paid for and DL'ed a program for a friend who didn't have a CC. I even went over and installed it for him. He wrote me a check, done deal, I thought.

Yesterday, I got an email from the company stating that I was in violation of the EULA because the SW had been installed on 2 additional computers. WTF? said I. I emailed them back and basically said, no way. The responded with the names of the computers and the users.

This morning I went and confronted him. He said he didn't know he couldn't load it on other computers. I edumacated him and told him that the right thing to do would be to write me a check for the 2 additional licenses and I would pay the company. He asked if he could just uninstall the programs and I told him "If you rob a bank and get caught, can you give the money back and walk away? No, you have to pay. Paying for the 2 addition licenses is the right thing to do. He wrote the check and I paid for the 2 additional licenses.

Moral of the story is. Yes, Virginia, they do know you're running pirated SW if you don't have a SW FW. And, be careful of favors that you do, you may end up in the middle of something you hadn't anticipated. 🙁
Click to expand...


I am anti software piracy, I crack down on it at work really heavily with our clients. I catch them all the time trying to steal it. But we have no legal leg to stand on and say "We need X amount of money for what you did". We just tell them they have to remove it and if they do not, they will get no future support from us. We have ways to regulate our software.

However, with that said, you should not have made your friend pay for both licenses, that was cruel. Removing the software would have satisified the company. It sounds like your friend made a simple mistake. I can always tell the pirates from the innocent people that violate our EULA, we have two EULA's actually. The innocent people are honest and up front... The pirates are mean and paranoid tha were going to catch them, and we do. Of course, we do not prosecute, why would we? Takes more money to do that, than just let it go and stop them.

Even microsoft isn't going to disable your WindowsXP if you pirate it, they could! But they don't as I have friends who do that. So, I mean, there ya go.

Right now copyrights are becoming intrusive and are completely ridiculous! Like E-books, being unable to read them outloud to your child.... Give me a break? Yeah, thats right, give me a break.
 
Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
Originally posted by: Doomer
About a week ago, I paid for and DL'ed a program for a friend who didn't have a CC. I even went over and installed it for him. He wrote me a check, done deal, I thought.

Yesterday, I got an email from the company stating that I was in violation of the EULA because the SW had been installed on 2 additional computers. WTF? said I. I emailed them back and basically said, no way. The responded with the names of the computers and the users.

This morning I went and confronted him. He said he didn't know he couldn't load it on other computers. I edumacated him and told him that the right thing to do would be to write me a check for the 2 additional licenses and I would pay the company. He asked if he could just uninstall the programs and I told him "If you rob a bank and get caught, can you give the money back and walk away? No, you have to pay. Paying for the 2 addition licenses is the right thing to do. He wrote the check and I paid for the 2 additional licenses.

Moral of the story is. Yes, Virginia, they do know you're running pirated SW if you don't have a SW FW. And, be careful of favors that you do, you may end up in the middle of something you hadn't anticipated. 🙁
Click to expand...


I am anti software piracy, I crack down on it at work really heavily with our clients. I catch them all the time trying to steal it. But we have no legal leg to stand on and say "We need X amount of money for what you did". We just tell them they have to remove it and if they do not, they will get no future support from us. We have ways to regulate our software.

However, with that said, you should not have made your friend pay for both licenses, that was cruel. Removing the software would have satisified the company. It sounds like your friend made a simple mistake. I can always tell the pirates from the innocent people that violate our EULA, we have two EULA's actually. The innocent people are honest and up front... The pirates are mean and paranoid tha were going to catch them, and we do. Of course, we do not prosecute, why would we? Takes more money to do that, than just let it go and stop them.

Even microsoft isn't going to disable your WindowsXP if you pirate it, they could! But they don't as I have friends who do that. So, I mean, there ya go.

Right now copyrights are becoming intrusive and are completely ridiculous! Like E-books, being unable to read them outloud to your child.... Give me a break? Yeah, thats right, give me a break.
Click to expand...

QFT. I couldn't agree more. Completely idiotic to make your "friend" buy the additional licenses.
 
Your "friend" owns a company, but does not have a CC? Sorry, part of your story is a lie, unless he's a drug dealer or money launderer.
 
Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
Originally posted by: Doomer
Originally posted by: Super56K
You should change title to: if your thinking of pirating software and registering it under your name read this.

That sounds like that is how you would compare what your friend was doing, and pirating in this case.

Also, you gave up kind of easy there didn't you? I understand it's your ass on the line, not your friend, but him just uninstalling the extra copies probably could have resolved everything and saved your friend the extra money he had to spend.

edit: after reading your post after mine he probably would have bought more copies anyways if he would have known it was required from the onset right?
Click to expand...


FOR THE LAST FRIGGIN TIME, GUYS.

This has nothing to do with registering the SW. It was not registered per se. The got my PI when I bought the SW because I paid with a cc. The SW phoned home and said "here I am 3 times".

So............................

They knew it was loaded on 3 machines because the SW phoned home.

They knew who to contact because I bought that particular license with a cc.


Geeeeeeez, I hope this clears it up. 🙁
Click to expand...

3 Machines? So you *did* install it on your machine as well? 😕
Click to expand...

whatchutalkinboutwillis

 
Originally posted by: Todd33
Your "friend" owns a company, but does not have a CC? Sorry, part of your story is a lie, unless he's a drug dealer or money launderer.
Click to expand...

Wow, you are right, that is pretty suspicous... Business owner without a CC is a business owner who isn't legit... Well, there are exceptions to that rule, but they are very few... He could be legit, but I have my doubts as well. Perhaps about the story in general?
 
Originally posted by: Todd33
Your "friend" owns a company, but does not have a CC? Sorry, part of your story is a lie, unless he's a drug dealer or money launderer.
Click to expand...

BS, dude. He doesn't believe in them and doesn't use them. He gets by just fine with checks and cash. He rarely needs to buy anything off the Internet so why would he need one?
 
Originally posted by: Doomer
Originally posted by: Todd33
Your "friend" owns a company, but does not have a CC? Sorry, part of your story is a lie, unless he's a drug dealer or money launderer.
Click to expand...

BS, dude. He doesn't believe in them and doesn't use them. He gets by just fine with checks and cash. He rarely needs to buy anything off the Internet so why would he need one?
Click to expand...

Hmm, kind of a cheap friend... He doesn't believe in them, yet wants you to use yours for him? Not saying I doubt that, but it just shows how ridiculous some people are. It is kind of like saying "I do not steal items, but if you want to steal them for me, I won't say anything" Different topic, but it is essentially the same thing... I find it comical is all.
 
LOL, looks like we have gone way off topic. I mearly wanted to point out to you guys that some software does call home.

 
Originally posted by: Doomer
LOL, looks like we have gone way off topic. I mearly wanted to point out to you guys that some software does call home.
Click to expand...

Well, I already knew some software does call home. However, thanks for sharing that with us, because perhaps others do not know. So we are greatful for your intent, but the story doesn't hold up so well, that is all.

But you are quite right, a lot of software does call home. I would like to know this software so I can avoid it. I am perfectly legitimate with my software, but I cannot stand companies who go overboard with their anti-piracy procedures. Because they are flat out an intrusion to us.

Just like when games incorporated copy protection that made it incompatable with many of the CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives on the market. So, you bought a perfectly good game legitimately and were unable to play until you replaced your CD/DVD-ROM drive... Yet, they offer no refund, since it was "opened"... That is an example of BS.


Edit ** To the person above me -- We have not really gone off topic, since we are clearly discussing this issue in detail. The OP still has not answered all of our questions. Things like this need to be disgussed. If he was kind enough to inform us of this, he should be kind enough to tell us the company so we can avoid them.
 
OK, so we're talking about spyware (admin spies on users) containing spyware (program phones home).

Anything that happens to you is a just desert.
 
If you have software such as ZoneAlarm, etc., you'd know which software calls home and which doesn't... your outgoing requests show up as a warning.

Originally posted by: Doomer
Originally posted by: rh71
Ironically, he would've never been caught if he had pirated the software on his own with keygen'd serials. (Not condoning of course).
Click to expand...

The email I got said they would deactivate the SW if I didn't respond so I imagine they can reach out and kill it if they know for a fact it's parated.
Click to expand...
yes, that's probably because they can blacklist serial numbers since it probably calls home everytime it's initiated. What I was saying was that a keygen would produce a valid serial (since it works off of a known / valid encryption key) everytime and they would never have automaticallly detected duped serials in the first place. That's the irony, that's all...
 
Originally posted by: Doomer
LOL, looks like we have gone way off topic. I mearly wanted to point out to you guys that some software does call home.
Click to expand...

Its funny how my firewall lets me dictate who my PC "talks to" eh? There is NOTHING on my PC that will be broadcast on the intarweb without my permission. Maybe your "friend" should stick to cash and checks and stay away from computers entirely.
 
All the guy needed to do was install a program like ZA, allow this software he's using to access the internet but restrict it in ZA from going to the IP of the software company. Problem solved.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top