Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy?

#121

Post by jakobegger » Tue, Aug 15, 2017, 9:14 PM UTC

Before you do anything, have a look at the numbers.

I sell a Mac app, which performs periodic update checks, so I can estimate how many users I have. The update checks also contain info about whether the product is licensed, and whether the code signature is valid. I assume that copies of the app that say they are licensed but don't have a valid code signature are cracked.

Here are my numbers from July:

13301 trial users

4934 paid users

367 pirates

If I look at these numbers, I don't see why I should bother doing anything about pirates. Any effort spent on convincing pirates to pay is better spent on convincing trial users!

(PS: the update check can be disabled, and I don't know how many people disable it, so the above numbers are rough estimates at best. Also, invalid code signatures might be caused by things other than piracy eg. software bugs)

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy?

#122

Post by ttoinou » Tue, Aug 15, 2017, 10:31 PM UTC

nicky0 wrote: post #95

My app has an info infinitely renewable trial but many still use the cracked version.

That's weird

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy?

#123

Post by FraKtus » Tue, Aug 15, 2017, 11:40 PM UTC

We use a service called link busters. They send DMCA to all sites having links to (fake ?) cracked versions of our software...

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy?

#124

Post by FraKtus » Tue, Aug 15, 2017, 11:40 PM UTC

We use a service called link busters. They send DMCA to all sites having links to (fake ?) cracked versions of our software...

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy?

#125

Post by vortico » Wed, Aug 16, 2017, 3:47 AM UTC

jlgaddis wrote: post #119

vortico wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'd have to keep purchasing new plugins on the new accounts after the old ones are banned, as opposed to buying once and re-releasing the (free) versions on every update. Since plugins are $100-1000, be my guest! Not to mention the liability you are going through by assigning your credit card info to a proven copyright infringer.

You mean the stolen credit cards they'd quite possibly use?

That seems way too complicated to simply contribute to some private tracker.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with piracy?

#126

Post by otempomores » Wed, Aug 16, 2017, 5:05 PM UTC

Value derives from subjective value the user places on sth. Allow for the user to create sonething valuable by using the software. Sth like a makro, a customized file filter etc. Allow for unlimited use of the tedious part of the app, but withhold the creative "i was clever part" after trial. Take winrar. Traditional rar is for free.. but autounpack into a customized sorting scheme by file type or sth like this would be a upgrade gimick.