Use a pirated version of this program, have your system wiped clean

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
42,936
1
0
HAHA!
Use an illegal copy and wipe your device clean
Software piracy is bad. No one disputes that fact and I know software developers lose sleep over pirated copies of their program flying around the internet over P2P networks. From time to time a developer gets fed up and puts malicious code in a publicly distributed program so that something bad happens to anyone who uses an illegal copy of the software. This has recently happened again and interesting discussions are flaring up with supporters of both sides of the argument marking their position in the sand and firing away at the other side.

Anton Tomov distributes a number of capable programs for the Windows Mobile platform including Pocket Hackmaster and Pocket Mechanic. The program that is causing all the shouting matches in this case is Pocket Mechanic. It appears that Mr. Tomov recently distributed an update to the Pocket Mechanic program that includes some malicious anti-piracy code. Of course whether or not it is malicious depends on which side of the firing line you fall on. The program apparently detects if the executed program is a legally licensed one and if not it erases your entire Windows Mobile device by hard resetting it. It has reportedly wiped out a removable storage card, too. I have contacted Mr. Tomov about this situation but have not gotten a response as of the time of this article.

Software developers must understand that consumers tolerate certain levels of inconvenience to help combat piracy but there is a limit. Alienating your loyal customer base because they find your practice intolerable only makes you the developer the loser. I wish all software pirates would just disappear but reality tells me they won't do so and I sympathize with the developer who loses out as a result. Even so I cannot use nor recommend any products that have the potential for causing damage to user's computers or gadgets and once the developer takes that tactic I lose a great deal of trust in his practices. May not be fair but that's the way it is. What are your thoughts on this practice?


:laugh: This so rocks! :beer:
 

yukichigai

Diamond Member
Apr 23, 2003
6,404
0
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I'm waiting for when someone gets improperly determined to be using an illegal version. Then, when their PDA gets wiped clean and they sue, it'll stop being funny to the guy who made it. ;)
 

znaps

Senior member
Jan 15, 2004
414
0
0
Perfectly fine, until a bug appears in the code that screws up licensed users. The the shti hits the fan.
 

znaps

Senior member
Jan 15, 2004
414
0
0
Originally posted by: yukichigai
I'm waiting for when someone gets improperly determined to be using an illegal version. Then, when their PDA gets wiped clean and they sue, it'll stop being funny to the guy who made it. ;)


yeah, what he said! ;)
 

yukichigai

Diamond Member
Apr 23, 2003
6,404
0
76
Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
<-- puts a halt on posting why his PDA no longer works. ;)
I'm sure someone else will. Right above this topic, no less.
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
42,936
1
0
Originally posted by: yukichigai
Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
<-- puts a halt on posting why his PDA no longer works. ;)
I'm sure someone else will. Right above this topic, no less.

:laugh:

While the thought is funny it won't matter. First, a hard reset should bring the PDA to a factory default state. Second, it'd be posted in OT, FI, or Highly technical before getting posted here. :p
 

KoolDrew

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
10,226
7
81
Originally posted by: yukichigai
I'm waiting for when someone gets improperly determined to be using an illegal version. Then, when their PDA gets wiped clean and they sue, it'll stop being funny to the guy who made it. ;)

 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
3,114
1
0
thats why ya only get releases from the good groups out there and they will find a way around it ;)

JB
 

Merlyn3D

Platinum Member
Sep 15, 2001
2,148
0
0
This is stupid, you just know it'll somehow erase a registered user's pda and he'll be in deep sh*t there.
 

DJFuji

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 1999
3,643
1
76
kinda reminds me of EZCDCreator. A few years ago I found out that if you use a known or compromised key, it doesnt tell you but continually spits out coasters. It's frustrating until you figure out what the problem is.
 

MustISO

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,927
12
81
CDRWin used to do that when it detected a blacklisted key. It would work for a little while and then start doing bad burns.
 

imported_jediknight

Senior member
Jun 24, 2004
343
0
0
As long as this doesn't accidentally delete registered customers' data.. then it's all good.
In fact, I'm considering similar piracy protection in my software!
 

sparkyclarky

Platinum Member
May 3, 2002
2,389
0
0
I use this guys stuff for my PDA, and it works well. Being a hardware nerd, dynamic overclocking and benchmarking on the PDA are entertaining. And for a market as small as the one he's aiming at, I can see how piracy could seriously hurt his bottom line.
 
Feb 24, 2001
14,513
4
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Originally posted by: Velk
Of course whether or not it is malicious depends on which side of the firing line you fall on.

No it doesn't.

It's malicious code period.

Hasn't there already been a court case to decide this? That it's illegal to use malicious code to destroy/delete/incapacitate anything other than the program itself?

I want to say it might have been Blizzard.
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
42,936
1
0
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
people almost unanimously hate virus writers... how's this guy any different?

He's giving you a choice: Use his software illegally and pay the price. Use it legally or find an alternative and you're set.
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
42,936
1
0
Oh, and I don't think he gives a damn about US law:
Registration Service Provided By: Supreme Center
Contact: support@propersupport.com
Visit:

Domain name: ANTONTOMOV.COM

Registrant Contact:
Anton Tomov
Anton Tomov (antont@rila.com)
359-87619766
Fax: none
Acad. G. Bonchev
Sofia, BG 1113
BG
 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
people almost unanimously hate virus writers... how's this guy any different?

Man if you can't determine the difference between what this guy is doing and what a virus script kiddy does you must be pretty STUPID!

:thumbsup: to idea! Hope it works and doesn't get anyone it isn't supposed to.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
I don't know what this program is, but I'd hope it's not at all possible that someone could install an illegal copy without knowing it's illegal.
 

AnitaPeterson

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
5,991
492
126
Originally posted by: tfinch2
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
people almost unanimously hate virus writers... how's this guy any different?

Man if you can't determine the difference between what this guy is doing and what a virus script kiddy does you must be pretty STUPID!

For a Golden Member, you are a trifle impolite.
OTOH, if I look at your join date, things become a bit clearer. How old are, anyway, 16?
 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Originally posted by: tfinch2
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
people almost unanimously hate virus writers... how's this guy any different?

Man if you can't determine the difference between what this guy is doing and what a virus script kiddy does you must be pretty STUPID!

For a Golden Member, you are a trifle impolite.
OTOH, if I look at your join date, things become a bit clearer. How old are, anyway, 16?

Do you support pirating software? Looks like the only people that will be affected if everything works out are the ones who do. A virus writer does not offer beneficial software that actually has potential to make people's lives easier and more productive. While I don't know how great this guy's stuff is, he is offering a legit software package available to paying customers. Comparing this guy to a virus writer is like comparing apples to oranges.

BTW, I'm 20. Got a prob?