I suppose cracks are an occupational hazard. Sooner or later someone is going to crack your software. It is just a fact of life. There’s actually no way to prevent it. Some protection methods are better than others but the best hackers will always find a way round them. There’s a limit to how much time should be spent on beefing up protection that can never be 100% secure anyway.
But cracks can be dangerous. Many contain viruses or Trojans. The hacker will insert malicious code and the cracked software becomes a trojan horse for the unwitting and will infest their computer. Even those that don’t have viruses in them may have problems. Sometimes the hacker may miss hidden protection mechanisms which don’t manifest themselves clearly. When these surface the software is likely to crash and could potentially harm your computer. The crack could cause instability due to insecure modifications to the executable. It is therefore unwise to rely on cracked software. Furthermore, don’t expect to get support from the developer if you are using illegally obtained software.
How can you tell if the software you have downloaded is cracked? First, look to see if the Digital Signature is intact. Right click on the file in Windows Explorer. Is there a Digital Signature tab? For example you will see MJT Net Ltd in the list of signatures if you right click on the Macro Scheduler executable. If the file has been tampered with in some way the signature won’t be there. Without the signature Windows XP will pop up warnings when you try to run it. If the signature is not there it means someone has modified the executable and it could therefore be buggy or virus ridden. Delete it and download the authorised version from the official source instead.
What really annoys me about hackers is not their ability to hack the software itself. Ethical hackers tell you they have circumvented the protection but do nothing more. They deserve respect for their abilities. But those that then post the software on download sites deserve nothing. These people are potentially stealing developers’ livelihoods. What they often don’t consider is who is behind the software they have cracked. Not all developers are huge, faceless corporations like Microsoft. Many developers are small companies, working long hours to pay their mortgages and bills. People like us. Small companies who develop their wares to make an honest buck and ensure the security and safety of their families. Not rich people. Ordinary people selling their software to make ends meet. By hacking our software and making it available to people on the web hackers are sending the message that it is alright to take income away from us. I ask you – what have we ever done to these people? What makes them think it is alright to take income away from us honest, hard working people?
A far more worrying trend is the increase in credit card fraud, and fully registered versions of software appearing on file download sites and file sharing networks. Why bother trying to hack software when all you need to do is buy the full version with a stolen credit card and then give it away? But if you ever find full versions on file sharing networks consider how it got there. Credit card fraud is organised crime. Stolen credit card numbers are obtained/sourced by networks of organised criminals. One thing is for sure – these people don’t just deal in stolen credit cards. They are often involved in far worse – drug trafficking, people smuggling, violent crime etc. Ok, the person that used the stolen credit card to obtain the software might not be one of these people. But chances are the credit card was obtained by someone who is, or at the very least is linked to someone who is.
So next time you consider downloading an illegal copy of some piece of software, think about how it got there. Think about what you are endorsing and who you are supporting. Think about the ordinary software author who works hard every day, just like you do, to pay his mortgage. And think about the victims of those that steal credit cards – ordinary people just like you.
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Hi Marcus,
I couldn’t have put it better. The only issue I had was bookmarking your article to the crack sites for you. They require me to create an account and I’m blowed if I’m going to do that. Nice idea though.
Best wishes to you, your family and your business. May your cracks be few and far between.
Sincerely
Scott Kane
Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
Dear Successful CEO
I am a low wage worker (making $8 per hour) working for Community Mental Health in Michigan as an aid for disabled folks.
Computer technology is very useful for many of my clients. One client, for example, had a traumatic head injury as a young child and ever since has not been able to walk, sit up straight, speak clearly, or see. Despite these challenges, over the years this man–who lives off a budget of less than $1000 per month— has become an author by accumulating extremely expensive computer gadgetry that has finally allowed to actually use a computer. Medicare and Medicare do not often pay for fancy therapists to assess a need for computer technologies, even less do they pay for the software itself.
I would happily utilize a pirated version of your software to help my clients lead independent lives if I trusted it to be virus-free (which I could do by using it at home first). Moreover, I would not fear that by doing this you wouldn’t be able to pay your morgage. I would be more concerned about whether my client can continue to pay his landlord’s morgage.
So I have these questions: Would you make an exception in this particular case? If so, could you see how some hackers have the best interests of poor people in mind when they provide useful products at low cost? What other option to you suggest for those of us who can scarcely afford a computer, much less the software tools to use it productively?
Thank you for your time,
Jacob
“So I have these questions: Would you make an exception in this particular case?”
No, I would not. But, if you had emailed us with your story and explained how you could use Macro Scheduler to better the life of your client and asked us if we could provide a free version, we would have said yes and we would have provided a copy free of charge, or at the very least, for a big discount. We have done this in the past. We have provided free copies to students and to disabled people where the product can help improve their lives. We get queries like this all the time and where appropriate, depending on the nature of the query, we have provided free or deeply discounted copies.
Here’s an analogy. If you were poor and picked my pockets in the streets I would be upset and annoyed. However, if you asked me nicely if I could spare some change so that you could buy lunch I would probably help you out.
Stealing from us is not appropriate under any circumstances. Asking for help is fine. Using cracked copies of our software is NOT asking us for help.
If you actually look at our sales page (http://www.mjtnet.com/sales.htm) you will see the following at the bottom:
“Want to barter, trade, beg or borrow? Contact us now!”
Don’t steal. If you have a genuine, valid, need but can’t afford the full price, just ASK. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Well said Marcus!
Remind me, when did morality become an issue of scale?
I think everyone would agree that stealing someone else’s car is wrong, even if they have more than one, and you can’t afford one. Yet, somehow people can justify stealing software because they think it doesn’t affect anyone else, or the rightful owner.
As you pointed out, if people in real need have the decency to ask, people of good heart will generally do what they can to help.
Marcus,
Thank you for your reply. My query was hypothetical but something that may be absolutely essential from time to time in my line of work, occupational therapy. I have now browsed much of your web-site and am now familiar with the tenor of your business. I do believe you when you say you would reply generously to such need. It is just this sort of thing than changes power into leadership, and defines influence rather than control. So thank you.
To return to the philosophical, however–if you’ll endulge me: What ought a person do if the reply does not come back in the affirmative? Ought that person rely helplessly on the good will of those who ow what he needs? Or is there dignity in finding another way? And for those of us–myself included–who have things that others may need, when things are taken from us, mightn’t it be better for our own emotional health not to lash out with moralisms but rather to reach out with a compassionate understanding of the nature and origins of resentment, frustration, and desperation? Surely some who steal are discontented for no good reason, are just spoiled brats. Others, however, have legitimate complaints and legitimate needs–and find themselves some days with no where else to turn.
But this is philosophical. You speak the words of a kindhearted soul.
Jacob
Jacob,
You asked “is there dignity in finding another way?” which I assume given the context the other way you are referring to is stealing (i.e. using cracks). Stealing never enhances one’s dignity. Such a notion belies a very broken sense of dignity.
If a software vender won’t respond to a request for a free or greatly discounted software license then there are other venders out there to approach. It is rare that there is one and only one product that will meet one’s needs. But even if you can’t find someone willing to help you out (which is frankly not likely to be the case) that doesn’t justify stealing nor does stealing save the dignity of the person in need. If I had a great need and you were not willing to help me would that make it OK for me to break into your home and steal from you? After all, you have far more than me and my need is great? Wouldn’t it spare me my dignity if rather than begging from you I just steal from you? The answer to all of these questions is “of course not.”
Suppose this, you ask a seller at a fruit stand for a discount on a box of oranges as you’re taking them to an old folkes home. He says ‘sure’ and sells them for a quarter of the regular price. You decide that’s not enough so decide to steal them.
Any court in any country is still going to find you guilty.
I can say categorically that I have provided software to people who could not afford it (my software that is) over the years. I know what it means to be broke and I also know what it means to live on a disability pension. Due to illnesss I’m not writing software now, however I manage to procure software legally for use in my new and barely funded business (that makes just under the minimum allowed while on the pension presently) without any problems. I’ve bought second hand older versions of some products, arranged contra deals with companies, beta tested for other companies etc. There is never an excuse to steal, whether it be bread, cash or IP (intellectaul property) in todays society in the Western world at any rate. I don’t want to go into issues in non western countries here. Thinking honestly and a little out side of the box is the ticket.
Scott Kane
Moderator comp.software.shareware.*
Helping People Who Cannot Afford Your Software…
Today a discussion in the ASP Newsgroups started about potential users who feel it may be ok to steal software if they can not afford it. Unfortunantly, not everyone is able to have the opportunity to purchase your software, and thats normal for any ….
So ultimately those who own copyright patents become the judge and jury for the dissemination of their intellectual products. Luckily very few of these programs are essential items—they are not bread, nor seeds. Scott is smart to avoid debates regarding third world access to the fruits of human invention.
But say I am a C5 quadraplegic living in the Bronx, where the livespan of the average black man is equivalent to the average livespan of a person in Bangledash. I have scarce family support. I’m living on a small government stipend.
And my dignity says this: that my need is so obvious, so outright transparent, that I don’t have to waste my time asking permission from the judge and jury of those who own whether or not the seeds of their ingenuity should be shared to help me succeed.
Its not like the public library has been able to afford universally accessible technogadgetry in recent years, and I feel quite content having trusted that my petty theft be understood as might be a little white lie.
Jacob,
For me it has nothing to do with “copyright patents”, it has to do with people being dishonest and contributing towards a problem where people, most of whom are NOT quadraplegic or poor, think it is OK to steal software, support hackers and ultimately prevent us hard-working developers from earning a living, or at least reduce our income and make it harder to do what we do and potentially even increase the price of the software to compensate, effecting other ordinary honest people who have the decency to pay for the software – to pay us for the work we do, FOR them.
“What ought a person do if the reply does not come back in the affirmative? Ought that person rely helplessly on the good will of those who ow what he needs? Or is there dignity in finding another way?”
There are always other legal alternatives. E.g. instead of Microsoft Office there is Open Office. There are other similar products to ours on the market too, so if we weren’t to provide the response you were looking for you could ask elsewhere. Then there’s the second hand market – eBay for example. We also provide discounted copies of old versions. In fact some old versions are provided free on magazine cover disks. So, yes, there is always an alternative to stealing. There is no moral justification for stealing.
If we were all to agree with your stance on stealing – that it is ok in some circumstances and that we should when needy – wouldn’t society collapse into chaos and anarchy?
“to reach out with a compassionate understanding of the nature and origins of resentment, frustration, and desperation?”
That’s different. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be compassionate when robbed. I’m just saying it is wrong. A drug addict broke into my house and stole my stereo once. What that guy did was wrong. But of course I am compassionate. I feel sorry for the guy that he is in the state he is in. But that doesn’t mean I think he should break into people’s houses!
If I were to get ill and be unable to run my company and go bankrupt would you suggest I go house-breaking to make ends meet? You think it’s ok to steal software from me when you can’t afford it so perhaps you’d be happy if I burgled your house when I hit rock bottom? Whether you are compassionate or not makes no difference to the fact that a crime was committed and someone has lost out.
One can only be compassionate about someone’s needs when they know of them. I cannot be compassionate about an unknown, random, anonymous hacker, cracker, or thief.
You seem to believe that circumstance makes crime acceptable. It doesn’t. It might deserve compassion and charity, but it certainly doesn’t give people the right to TAKE without asking.
Of course, one or two very poor, disabled, needy people is not going to break the bank. And as I’ve said, anyway, if you ask you’ll probably get. But relying on illegal software simply creates demand for it. For every poor person who uses a cracked copy of the software several hundred perfectly ordindary people with the means to pay will also use it because they think it’s ok and they don’t care about the poor developers who worked 12 hours a day for 2 years to create that software. Is our time worth nothing? These people end up using the software day-in-day out and it improves their lives, yet the person who made it for them gets NOTHING. How can that be right in any circumstance unless the developer permits it?
And what of support? Surely your quadraplegic who needs the software to help him improve his life will need help using the product – especially one like ours. How will he get assistance from us with a stolen copy of the software. Our customers get FREE support for life and our support is second to none.
Let me reiterate – if someone like the guy in your example from the Bronx got in touch with us, or if the carer of someone like that got in touch with us, and explained the situation and asked if we could help we would have been only too happy to. Everyone’s dignity would be held high and we would have a big warm fuzzy feeling in our hearts for being able to put what we do to a really good use. We love being able to do stuff like that. There is simply no need to use a cracked version or steal from us instead. If you do that how do we even know your needs. If you do that we won’t get that fuzzy feeling.
Give us a chance to do a good thing by doing the right thing yourself.
I am the owner of a small software company. I find this article to be very informative.
To address Jacob, you will find that many small software companies will make accomodations for people with special needs. But what you have stated by using pirated software is essentially robbing Peter to pay Paul. There are many small software companies that are barely making $1000 a month. It might not be evident by their impressive looking websites.
Do you feel that it is ethical to take the livelihood of someone who runs a software company making $1000 a month so that someone else who is also making $1000 a month can benefit from it? It is not ethical, logical, or legal.
“But what if the user is a one-eyed deaf albino with incontinence, nasty psoriasis, no teeth and terminal halitosis?”
As hard as this may sound to you Jacob “stealing is stealing” regardless of what extreme hypotheticals you try to throw out to justify it. Show me a case of such an extreme where absolute nobody was willing to help the person in question get the software they desperately needed and we can talk. Software developers aren’t monsters. We have hearts and will help someone out in such a circumstance.
Hi Marcus
i am a very old registered user, i already use an old macroscheduler version to automate some task, but i follow your newsletter to see the software evolution, some time i download and try new versions but for my personal use the old version is quite enought.
I wish to use the new compiler but the cost is very hight for what i have to do, i have a proposal for you, why does not create a online tool so i can upload script and download the file exe, i think that 10 dollars for each compiled exe can be an interesting business for you and for those people that use Macro Scheduler very very few times.
see you soon
Franco,
That’s an interesting idea. But it needs some thought to ensure it cannot be abused. My concern is that anyone could write a script using notepad or some other free text editor, then compile it and for $10 they have a working program which they can then give to anyone. What’s to stop people using this to create commercial macros which they then distribute (potentially for commericial gain)? In this instance the value of the service is potentially worth much more than $10. Don’t forget that Macro Scheduler Pro includes a distribution license as well as just the ability to create executables. That has to be worth something.
I’m not aware of any other compilers that offer a service like this – e.g. I doubt Microsoft would let you upload some C++ source and create a freely distributable EXE for only $10. So my feeling is that such a service would have to have some kind of limitation built in. I would be interested to hear what others think.
Hi Marcus
happy to ear that you like my idea, i can suggest to override the use of other text editor than Macro Scheduler editor creating a upload tool that send the script to you using an encryption algoritm so you can refuse script written with other editors.
For the distribution i suggest a low price for personal use and a other price for commercial use, putting a sort of discalimer or different EULA for commercil and private use.
[...] Someone emailed me a link to a page on a crack site which purported to offer a crack for the Macro Scheduler 8.1 evaluation version. So I fired up Windows 2000 in Virtual PC and downloaded the “crack”. It contained two executable files. I scanned them with AVG Antivirus. One of the files contained a trojan. Since I was running under a Virtual PC environment it was safe to try this “crack” out anyway (I can easily trash/recreate the Virtual environment and the host PC is protected). Well, as expected, all it did was make some changes to the system and install the trojan. It didn’t do anything to Macro Scheduler. Macro Scheduler wasn’t cracked at all, but the O/S is now potentially compromised. Proves my point about how dangerous cracks can be. More often than not they aren’t cracks at all. Just trojan horses, keyloggers or viruses. Do yourself a favour, don’t download software cracks! Bookmark this at: [...]
Hi,
On the original post from Jacob he/she said:
“this man… has become an author by accumulating extremely expensive computer gadgetry that has finally allowed to actually use a computer.”
Is this hardware or software gadgetry? What do you do about the hardware that he needs as this can’t be pirated. Do you go into a shop and steal it off the shelf?
“Moreover, I would not fear that by doing this you wouldn’t be able to pay your morgage. I would be more concerned about whether my client can continue to pay his landlord’s morgage.”
So why is your client’s mortgage more important than the author of the software’s mortgage?
By using a copied version of software that allows someone else to make money you’re simply stealing something to make cash out of it, not to allow your client to lead a normal life. Are you going to give MJT a cut of the money that your client makes from his books?
David