Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

Make a blogpost talking about this, say you won't pursue users who pirate, but you hope that once they realize the value you provide they come to purchase the real thing.

Demonizing and chasing people who pirate will only work against you, just like it happens with gaming.

Consider the pirate version a "trial" for people who are considering whether to buy the official version. Again, many with gaming do this.

Don't feel bad. In all seriousness, piracy is probably helping you spread the word and get people to try your project.

Unfortunately it also generates negative press on social media from frustrated users, and people who avoid subscriptions will avoid the product. But if you're an already established market leader that doesn't care, then subscriptions are fine.

You could always do the Windows 10 Activation model.

If you don't activate Windows 10, you have no ability to personalize your PC (change wallpaper, colors, Lock Screen image, etc.) But you can still use it - which makes it annoying, but still functional.

After a few weeks without activating, it also adds an always-visible watermark warning to "Activate your PC." But it still lets you use it.

Perhaps the OP could do similar. Where... he has his standard system of copy protection, but then adds additional checks that stamp watermarks on printed documents, or show a watermark about illegal copy, doesn't allow adding business information to documents, so forth...

Maybe that's even the trial version. Always free, forever - but certain features disabled and lots of watermarks.

Maybe one of your main revenue sources shouldn't be trying to squeeze already cash strapped 3rd world entrepreneurs

Congratulations! Having cracked versions out there indicates that your software is both useful and notable, which is a point where many developers would love to arrive at, maybe, one day.

As to what to do about it, there are two basic tracks, neither of which is incompatible with the other:

1. The legal route: notifying distribution sites that they're hosting content in violation of copyright law, requesting takedown, and if required, demanding such (with a DMCA notice or similar). If a distributor is unresponsive to both, DMCA Google, Bing, etc. to at least suppress the cracks in most search results;

2. Having some fun with it: make sure that a special page on your own site becomes the #1 search engine result for " crack" and similar. On this page, put a human face on your pricing, explain the available discounts, and finally offer to supply a free registration key to anyone that truly wants it, so they don't have to download all kinds of shady binaries. Of course, any such free keys don't come with support and display a prominent PIRATED VERSION notice in all window captions, printed outputs, et cetera, but you disclose all of that upfront and explain how that's a small price to pay...

But above all, make sure not to confuse a "pirated copy" with a "lost sale". In 99% of cases, the Venn diagram of those has very little overlapping area.