RE: vb3 Call To Home

[j_86]

If a company selling forum software is generating enough excess money to invest tens of thousands of dollars a month in your anti-privacy teams, then you don't need to worry about small scale (typical gaming clans) pirating the software, thus, you can spend less on anti-piracy and therefore avoid raising the price to us

[Ocean]

Originally Posted by Wayne Luke

Actually we spend tens of thousands of dollars because of Piracy on a monthly basis. There are lost support hours as they try to get support from us. There are lawsuits because the software is being used in an illegal manner and "we gave it to them". There is a full time lawyer on retainer. In the past, we have even caught one competitor using a pirated copy simply to copy features out of the software. However, the most widespread use of piracy is customers who purchase a single license and then power half a dozen or more forums on different sites with it.

I never said that piracy doesn't result in a loss of money - just that it doesn't always result in a loss of money (taken on a case by case basis).

And your providing support for pirated versions of vB doesn't count (in my opinion) - as doing so increases your standing with vB users across the world (pirated as well as legitimate). In effect, you are improving your PR immensely.


Poll your users to see how many of them purchased vBulletin directly because they encountered (or used it) first as a pirate version. The answer might surprise you.

[Jolten]

I could really use this. Too bad it's gone.

My situation: I am a licensed owner. I have a test board set up on my Mac to test hacks and create new styles. This test board is not displayed but I must have web sharing on in order to access it with the local IP. "Localhost" will not work. However, when vBulleting calls home it kills my local sql database forcing me to reinitialize the database every time I want to use the test forum. If I could simply stop the test forum from calling home it would stop ruining my local database.

[j_86]

E-mail me at jamie[at]ecarnate.com

[Zachery]

Originally Posted by Jolten

I could really use this. Too bad it's gone.

My situation: I am a licensed owner. I have a test board set up on my Mac to test hacks and create new styles. This test board is not displayed but I must have web sharing on in order to access it with the local IP. "Localhost" will not work. However, when vBulleting calls home it kills my local sql database forcing me to reinitialize the database every time I want to use the test forum. If I could simply stop the test forum from calling home it would stop ruining my local database.

That sounds totaly off, the call home would NOT crash your mysql as it doesnt even use mysql, it uses a php function O.o

[Mr. HillBilly]

I want to know what the call home stuff sends you guys, don't give me the "It just checks the version number crap." If it would only do that then it would only be needed in the AdminCps index.php file, but theres other call homes, too. (Ex: adminfunctions.php, $ratval should be a hint)

[filburt1]

It sends a license number as the only extra information, I believe. It doesn't send usage or anything.

[whitetigergrowl]

Look at it this way, odds are pretty good if it does send Vbulletin something, it's not like it's already stuff they don't already know about you from when you registered. Besides, I feel only those pirating boards would care. IMO.

[cinq]

Originally Posted by Wayne Luke

There are lost support hours as they try to get support from us.

Aren't only licensed users ( with valid license/customer ids ) allowed to submit support tickets where staff/developers have to help out in clearing ?

Also, aren't only valid customers allowed to get support on vb.com ( and other vb official sites ) ?

Originally Posted by Wayne Luke

There are lawsuits because the software is being used in an illegal manner and "we gave it to them".

Isn't it stated when in the license agreement that :

Jelsoft is not liable for the content of any message posted on a forum powered by the Software.

That does not mention a purchased and valid ( legal ) version of the Vbulletin software ?

Originally Posted by Wayne Luke

In the past, we have even caught one competitor using a pirated copy simply to copy features out of the software.

Since the code is not encoded, even a legal copy can be copied.
I am of the opinion truely smart competitors grab all possible competitors' software available legally and with full support, to get access to the code, be able to get answers in support etc. to know the full inside out of the software code proper, as well as to other aspects of the software, from customer support, marketting etc.


Just my 2 cents.

[BarHopper]

I dont even know what this hack its.