Earlier quoted context omitted.
How? Based on issuer identification number?
I'm pretty sure it can be done via the IIN. Services like https://binlist.net/ provide a convenient solution to identify if it's a prepaid card.
[deleted]
Ground control to Major Trial
81–90 of 201 posts
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
I’m actually considering reaching out directly to the CEO and telling the full story. But honestly? There’s a good chance he’s fully aware — and totally fine with it. That’s part of what makes it so disappointing. We’re not rushing into legal action — it’s not worth the energy for now — but publicly calling out the behavior felt necessary. It also sends a message to others in the ecosystem about the kind of nonsense…
> publicly calling out the behavior > I’m still holding off on naming the company directly Does not compute. Why not name them?
Because they could sue you. Even if the suit is baseless it’ll cost a lot to defend, and you might accidentally give them some basis in the process
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
What tipped you off? (I'm not a native speaker either)
There's a certain sort of "snarkiness" that's very easy to spot. There's a convicted scammer named Craig Wright (long story) who uses ChatGPT to write long, smug essays on X which have the exact same sort of tone, complete with the weird florid analogies. > Hard to say if it was a mistake, a flex, or just their way of making sure we didn’t miss who was milking the trials. > It’s tested. It updates with a single click…
Thanks for taking time to enlighten me.
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#84Spirit and morality don't work so well in the business world. Cut them off and make them pay. Why are you still supporting them?
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#85Unhappy with AI generated contributions, but perfectly happy to have a big AI generated image at the top of their page, complete with spelling mistakes
One bothers people like you, one has the potential to waste people’s time and energy. Unless your job involves critiquing the header image of people’s personal blogs I don’t think these are equivalent.
The both imply a similar lack of care to me. Like, not even being bothered to check the words, and if they make no sense just click the magic "generate image" button again, or fix them in photoshop or just erase them...
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#86Isn't this a failure by the company to recognize free trial abuse sooner? and to not close the loophole immediately seems like even more of a weak behavior. Calling them out but not taking decisive action beyond claiming that they are acting immorally ultimately accomplishes nothing. Businesses are not beholden to your ideas about what is nice and fair, but whatever the rules and constraints are to your system. if yo…
You're absolutely right that businesses act within whatever constraints exist — and yes, we were a bit naive. We assumed that if someone had a fully functional, free, open source version available (well-documented and easy to install), nobody sane would go out of their way to abuse the trial system instead. To be clear, it’s not just trial abuse — it’s actively ignoring the better, freer option in favor of repeatedly…
Yes. Your pain point is the level of support you are giving on good faith to these charlatans. Maybe add a clause to your license that you reserve the right to limit the amount of technical assistance on the free download. Outside of that, if I understand this matter correctly, most of your customers are honest and you’re willing to write off this one company in the interest of keeping your own corporate sanity.
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#87I got distracted a few paragraphs in by the realization that the text was AI-generated.
I first write my entire text and then after that I use a LLM to fix the grammar and have a better flow. I'm doing my best but I'm not a native US speaker. Before LLMs, people complained about the weird sentences or mistakes I made. Pick your poison ;) Anyway, I'm doing my best to keep my own "signature" in writing, but it's really hard when you see a better phrasing generated on your original more limited vocabulary.…
*English speaker
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#88> We’re not going to waste days chasing them. But at some point, this goes beyond saving a few bucks: it becomes performance art. Oh for the love of tech, do chase them. This absolutely has to be in void of the terms of your trial take them to court. If not, then at the very least name and shame the company, so some dumb manager orchestrating this silly theft will get fired and someone more mature can be rotated in.
I’m actually considering reaching out directly to the CEO and telling the full story. But honestly? There’s a good chance he’s fully aware — and totally fine with it. That’s part of what makes it so disappointing. We’re not rushing into legal action — it’s not worth the energy for now — but publicly calling out the behavior felt necessary. It also sends a message to others in the ecosystem about the kind of nonsense…
I very much doubt the CEO is aware. It is much more likely that some person is doing this because that is what they have always done- they are coasting. Alternatively, it is some poor sap that is in over their head and just following some instructions the original jerk put together to keep things running.
The CEO will prob hand you off to some director who is going to be annoyed that they were made out to look foolish and that they now have a task that the CEO is going to want regular status updates on.
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#89You cared enough to write a blog post so I think talking to a lawyer is worthwhile. Perhaps if you send them a legal letter threatening international action they will pony up. Writing the CEO will get you nowhere. Either way this is lame behavior and the public deserves to know the company so we can avoid doing business with them. But I understand not wanting to open yourself up for retaliation.
Re: Ground control to Major Trial
#90It’s probably time to channel larry ellison and shake these guys down. Or at least shake their pockets for loose change. They are stealing from you. As you point out you go out of your way to help companies with your oss options: you’re way on the right side of principled and generous. this is abuse. Don’t put up with it. Given the history, I’d suggest a short C&D recounting the 10 years(!) of theft, the measures the…
I agree. The company will almost immediately settle because this is a cut and dry theft that will cost them (literally) millions just in the recoup. More if a penalty can be applied.
This won't go to court, the actions are indefensible. The only argument will be how much they have to pay the OPs company.