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Software Deletes Files to Defend Against Piracy

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the users-delete-software-to-defend-against-idiocy dept.

teamhasnoi writes "Back in 2004, we discussed a program that deleted your home directory on entry of a pirated serial number. Now, a new developer is using the same method to protect his software, aptly named Display Eater. In the developers's own words, 'There exist several illegal cd-keys that you can use to unlock the demo program. If Display Eater detects that you are using these, it will erase something. I don't know if this is going to become Display Eater policy. If this level of piracy continues, development will stop.'"

4 of 544 comments (clear)

  1. Re:EULA? by Eddi3 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Why can't people who want to use his product buy it in the first place, instead of trying to *STEAL* it from him?

    Besides, once any pirate figure out what the program is doing, that could easily be circumvented just by unplugging your internet connection while using the program.

  2. Re:EULA? by Eddi3 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    If there's a clause in it that says you have to give the developer your first born child, then What the Fuck are you doing using his software, and agreeing to his license?

  3. Re:No, it isn't like that. by Scrameustache · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    enough with justification for illegal acts in the guise of pedantry Since that wasn't what I was doing: Go fuck yourself.
    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

  4. Re:Aren't there laws against this? by IamTheRealMike · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You hope he suffers dearly? Wait, I read on Slashdot only a few days ago that some DoD Warez guy had been caught and was going to jail, but actually he should only be given a small fine because he hadn't actually hurt anybody, he'd just broken the law over and over again with full knowledge of what he was doing.

    I think it's pretty amazing that peoples attitudes to piracy have got so bad that a major criminal gets peoples sympathy but this guy should "suffer dearly". Doubly amazing because I so often see people here defending the right to use weapons against people caught breaking and entering.