A bitter story of a businessman in England, taken to prison

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sun May 25, 2003 2:06 pm

A bitter story of a businessman in England, taken to prison

I friend of mine told me this:
People with cracks visiting Microsoft, are been watched by the company and all their records are kept in a underground database, exclusive to Microsoft.

A businessman who’s name has been kept in secret, visiting Microsoft’s site and having quite a few cracks in his computer, all his personal data was wiped down, then he was denounced to the authorities and catch flagrant. He could do absolutely nothing about it, his address, telephone number, name of the business, etc., everything was recorded, he could but accept his offence.

Amazing, isn’t it?

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Sun May 25, 2003 5:35 pm

What/who is your source of information Nestor?

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Sun May 25, 2003 7:24 pm

Sounds like a brilliant urban myth to make warez users nervous

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sun May 25, 2003 8:26 pm

You wish! It’s not a myth at all I’m afraid!
I was told this by a friend of mine via mail, and he knows PERSONALLY this guy, so I’m not kidding guys, I’m truly informing you of what my friend, which is a serious guy, told me through his email.

I don’t know why you think its fiction. I’m not surprised at all.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sun May 25, 2003 8:56 pm

Nestor, it may of course be true what happened to this guy, but was it really caused by spyware ?
Or by some jealeous or disappointed business partner ?
On about 95% of all Windows PCs there is some unlicenced software, you could pick up anyone to denounce.
But such stories are as welcome as the ridiculous figures about lost income due to pirated office software of certain brands.
If it would be a matter of payment for quality those companies would have left the market long ago.
They almost certainly know they only survive due to the existence of pirated copies and bundled giveaways. Noone with a minimal sense for reason would pay for such a crap, let alone the suggested retail price

cheers, Tom

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Sun May 25, 2003 10:41 pm

Hmmm... well.... I hate to be a sceptic and I am certainly not accusing anyone of anything but if this is true then it's a good story. Not just a story between friends but a real news story.

In prison because of pirated Microsoft products ? For how long, when did this happen, who is this guy ? His personal information captured from warez apps ?

Sorry but I just don't believe it. Such a case would have huge implications for online privacy laws and would certainly have attracted a lot of media attention.

The BSA (Business Software Association) does attempt to track down illegal corporate activity but in no case I'm aware of has anyone gone to jail.

But some may remember a case about two years in Russia. Adobe discovered a Russian company using illegal versions of its software and asked the Russian authorities to come down hard.

But Adobe was surprised at how hard: the man was sent to prison. This was a HUGE embarassment to Adobe and caused a lot of very bad PR for the company. It then lobbied the Russians to get the man released !

A similar story in the UK - especially involving Microsoft - would attract incredible publicity.

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Sun May 25, 2003 11:01 pm

I like to be truthful so I have to recognise I sometimes am quite naïve at this kind of things cos I have no much contact with this matters… If my friend told me that, well… I have no reason to doubt about his words.

It makes so much sense what you’re saying Spirit that I myself am thinking suspiciously about this case! It probably is a lie, not from myself of course and not from my friend, who’s a right one, but from the person that told him the story.

Nevertheless, I’m intrigued about this and would like to know the truth… I’m going to ask him more details on this, and will post it here, if he can answer me.

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Mon May 26, 2003 2:05 am

My memory was a bit off too. Here's the Adobe story:
http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,28178,00.html

spoimala · Post by **spoimala** » Mon May 26, 2003 7:16 am

Nestor, just one point.
Never trust email (unless you are 100% sure)! Anyone could have sent the mail in name of your friend. Do you want a mail from YOURSELF, I can send you one if you don't believe me

About the story, I neither believe that any company is interested in any particular person using pirate software. If I use pirate Windows, what does it mean to Microsoft? Nothing. Really nothing. Where the BIG money moves is companies etc. And there are BSA looking for these users. And other being "professional" pirates selling other's software and taking the money themselves.

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Mon May 26, 2003 8:26 am

Get a link to the real story, then we'll talk.

Pack your bags people, we're all going to jail

mr swim · Post by **mr swim** » Mon May 26, 2003 9:54 am

As long as they let us take our Pulsars !

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Mon May 26, 2003 9:56 am

You mean your Pulsar is not cracked?

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Mon May 26, 2003 2:25 pm

Previously, illegal software was quite hard to trace especially if the user knows what he's doing. This might soon come to an end:
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html
But then again, also Sony Playstation is ment not to run hacked/copied games...

Pulsar, or better, some devices for it, were once cracked. I've never encountered a real crack for Pulsar. Creamware done an excellent job on the copy protection system. Btw, there's some different layers of copy protection on your Creamware card/SFP. No one has ever cracked all layers.

at0mic.

Post by **hubird** » Mon May 26, 2003 5:49 pm

I knew Nestor had some point somewhere in this story, but I thought it was just about Micro$oft will be able just to detect cracked M$ systems.
After reading the article in At0mic's link I realize things are far more threatening.
I think Nestor's story will be more true with every new day.

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Mon May 26, 2003 6:49 pm

This story is the equivalent of the old preacher's "fire and brimstone"

It sure paints a picture of a sad, rigid world. But I think in that scenario there would be a big market for third-party devices and apps that circumvented such a system. That story merely describes the "corporate dream system".

And I had to laugh at one part:

"For years, Bill Gates has dreamed of finding a way to make the Chinese pay for software."

That will be a real test of his talent.

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Tue May 27, 2003 8:20 am

Someone should give these guys a copy of the Internet Declaration of Independance:

http://www.mysticalinternet.com/barlow.htm

I love the part where it says"There is no matter here"

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Tue May 27, 2003 8:55 am

That's an interesting site Paul. Is that something you just Googled or is it a favourite ?

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Tue May 27, 2003 9:03 am

A favorite.

I saw the guy who wrote it recite it on TV.
I was amazed to learn that he wrote songs for the Grateful Dead!

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Tue May 27, 2003 9:10 am

Are the apps safe to download ? Exe files always make me nervous.

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Tue May 27, 2003 9:12 am

As far as I know everything is quite safe, although I did not try anything there as yet.