So we all know about illegal downloads, right? I hate it, you likely do and so does the guy peering over me. (No, I lied. That guy doesn't exist.)

How would you make a uTorrent-proof program? Here's some ideas:

(These can be used outside scratch and probably won't be needed in scratch for a while. Also, pardon the bad grammar, I'm typing on an iPad screen waiting for midnight NYD)

1. Invisible file:
Try a batch script with:

echo This Program Is Legal > check.txt
attrib check.txt -h

Then add a if script to code checking for the file:

attrib check.txt -h
If not exist check.txt exit
Attrib check.txt -h

Error: You can copy the whole folder.

2. Registry data

Add stuff to the Windows registry. Don't ask how, I'm still a noob at VB .net.

Error: You can “implant” false data to crack programs.

So, what's your solution?

-TheMatrixKid

I have two solutions for people BitTorrenting my software:
1. For free software, it gets people to use it, so I don't have a problem with it.
2. For not free software, have internet product activation.

I have two solutions:

For free code:
1. I'd be honored that someone spends the time to crack my code.

For non-free code:
2. I deal with it. There is absolutely, positively, 100%, universal, truthly, cheeseburger, completely, guaranteed NO WAY to stop it.

Torrents aren't just used for illegal downloads. They're used for sending large files. I've legally downloaded games from the official distributors via µTorrent.

sccar3 wrote:

Torrents aren't just used for illegal downloads. They're used for sending large files. I've legally downloaded games from the official distributors via µTorrent.

I agree.

Therefore, anti-bittorent is the same as anti-sending files, therefore it is slightly hypocritical to use HTTP (web), which is fairly similar from high-level usage to torrenting. Large files, not even. Anything can be torrented, and anything that can be done will be done.

Yes, uTorrent was designed for P2P large file sending. Smart idea, too. It's the sheer fact that it's used for illegal downloading that bugs me.

I personally get really mad when people download programs, music, etc. illegally. I guess it makes them feel like some real-time hackers of some sort. Someone spent hard work programming that or making that song/game, and people abuse it. I get very furious.

TheMatrixKid wrote:

Yes, uTorrent was designed for P2P large file sending. Smart idea, too. It's the sheer fact that it's used for illegal downloading that bugs me.

It isn't something you can control. HTTP is used for sending illegal content, too (think YouTube or MediaFire), but people view the web as perfectly fine. Sometimes referred to as the dark web, or shady parts of the internet, we lawful people tend to stay away no problem. People sometimes just associate torrenting as all bad.

turkey3_test wrote:

I personally get really mad when people download programs, music, etc. illegally. I guess it makes them feel like some real-time hackers of some sort. Someone spent hard work programming that or making that song/game, and people abuse it. I get very furious.

I do, as well. I believe that it is morally wrong, but I also believe that copyright law is too strict. Perhaps it is just me, but I unconsciously draw the line between snippets and content no longer available and plain stealing (I think that Toontown Rewritten and Smile, from TV show: My Little Pony are both fine, perhaps even some music videos, too, but definitely not stolen source code of Toontown while it was still open and full episodes of My Little Pony).

I admit, I have downloaded some files that I shouldn't have, and I have regretted it. But some files that I have downloaded, which may be against copyright law (I don't know exactly what is permitted), I have not felt morally wrong, because I had a legitimate reason, and can justify it to myself.

Most people who pirate games buy them later.

If you don't want people downloading your projects, don't put it up as a download. Create it as a web service or something similar where all the data is saved to your server and only saved if the person has an account and has paid for it. If your software truly needs to be downloaded, make sure it also needs to communicate with the server to do anything. If you want to be able to use it offline and make it so people can't copy it to usb drives and give it to their friends, then good luck with that.

If the person has physical access to it, they have complete control over it. At least, that's how you should think in terms of security.

scratchisthebest wrote:

Most people who pirate games buy them later.

*hides* Like me! :p *RUNS*