Aquarium Hacked
 

I am starting to see Jim's program Hacked all over the net!

This get's me mad!!

Jim has worked so hard to bring us the BEST Screensaver in the world and it is being hacked for free all over.

I guess the best program are the ones that get Hacked.

Sorry Jim,

John

I agree, it is very easy to get KeyGens and download hacked versions of programs these days, especially popular programs are hacked (which is a good sign for the aquarium).
It is really anoying sometimes but many people use these KeyGens for testing perposes. For example, I really liked the demo version of the aquarium, but 20$ if quite alot of mony to waste on a product that you don't know the features of it's full version (many products have demos which have most of the full version's features and when you buy them and expect something really good you get disapointed) so if I like a product's demo I usually download a keygen, see the full version and then decide weather to buy it or not (if I decide not to I just uninstall it and reinstall the demo). I saw the full version of the aquarium and immediately bought it.
However many people do use KeyGens to get the full version.

Version 1.0 will have a more complicated serial number. Of course nothing is pirate-proof, but efforts are being made.

I did the same as pipeta. I'm tried of buying software that promises a lot, and when you buy you discover it was just that: promises, but nothing more :(

I downloaded the saver, and it was great. Tried a keygen, and it was awesome, so 10 minutes later I was buying it.

It's sad most ppl just use keygens or cracks just to get somebody else's work for nothing :(

;p and I'am sure the second after 1.0 comes out it will be on the internet in full version. =P thats just the way the internet is.

The new key system conains a time-delay, making it much harder to hack. There are thousands of Key Codes which appear to work, but only for a random amount of time between a few seconds and a year. That way, for each Key he generates, a hacker would have to let the Aquarium run for up to a year just to see if it's a real Key, or a decoy.

Any legitimate Key which is posted on the Internet will be disabled in the next update, even for the person who bought it.

That would give hackers a hard time but would also delay the posting of new versions after they are ready.

Not really - it just takes a few seconds to type a Key Code into the "blocked" list.

Oh, that's good to hear. It sounds like a pretty useful and user friendly (both for the developer and the users) application (and not extremely hard to build, should take a few days).

Let's imagine a keygen produces the same key as mine (or anybody else's)...
And the next version blocks it...

That person would get his key banned without doing anything?

The new Keys are 20-digit alphanumerics, so the odds against this are several billion to 1.

I hope nobody will be that one in billions :)

Just a thought to Jims answer:

"...but only for a random amount of time between a few seconds and a year. That way, for each Key he generates, a hacker would have to let the Aquarium run for up to a year just to see if it's a real Key, or a decoy."

Surely the Hacker would only have to put their Date and Time properties forward by a year to check whether a new key worked? And if it didn't, then go on to the next one...


Just a thought. They do this sort of thing all the time!

Jim:
I believe CLONECD uses the same type of system
and it is Hacked less then 24hours after a new versions comes out.

If you where able to develop a way so your program could not be Hack, you would make more money then the Aquarium would every make.

I feel for Guy's like you.
It's just not fair.

John

Thats probably true, most locks are for honest people anyway. The trick is to make it difficult enough that getting it isn't worth the trouble, getting someone else's is easier. But, in this case, Jim has the only work like this. So I guess its just something that has to be delt with the best that it can.

Tycoon -

It's an internal counter, and has nothing to do with the date/time.

Most of the hackers just run a debugger and when the dialog box pops up asking for the keycode, they enter an invalid code and press OK. Then they find the place in the code (in assembly) where it does a BNE (branch not equal).

In other words, it failed the test.

Then they just put out a patch to change that to BE.

Some of the craftier coders listen in on how the code is tested and write down the mathematical steps and just perform them in reverse to create valid codes.

The toughest 2 copy protections I've seen lately were Sega Dreamcast games. They were written on 1GB CDs and it took 18 months to figure out. Bleem!, the Playstation emulator, required the original CD to play it. Nobody could figure out how to copy the CD for a long time.

The only uplifting thing in all this is the Aquarium is one of the top "illegal-to-legal" programs out there. People who go legit because it's really worth it!

Are you taking about Safedisk2?
Tell me more, sounds interesting.
Are you saying that Bleem can not play Backup copy's of Playstation?
I know a Modchip is needed to play them in Playstation.

(Knowledge is Power)

No, I'm talking about the proprietary disc copy protection that Bleem came up with.

Bleem's ability or inability to play Playstation CD-Rs is irrelevant.

Anyway, Bleem is dead. www.bleem.com.

Sony successfully put them out of business. Proof that large companies can just litigate anyone to death.

While hoping for an announcement regarding version 1.1 have been reading a lot of these posts. This seems to be a very good and intersting forum. But to add my 2 cents to the "Aquarium hacked" thread.

I found this screen saver from a link in a *.nfo file that was included with a Key-Gen. I had previously heard about a "very" good screen saver from Sach. Tried to find the his site but http://www.sach.com/ seems to be a hospital.

With the KG I was able to check out the deluxe version at my leisure. Absolutely enthralling this piece of work from Jim Sach. Having done some diving and wishing I had the space for an aquarium I just love this display.

So why am I telling all this.... Because I have since purchased this screen saver. It is an excellent program and absolutely worth purchasing. Not all software is, my previous aquarium screensaver "AquaSupreme" would freeze my machine under some conditions.

Would I have been impressed enough with just 3 fish in the "demo" version.... can't say. But I can say that with the opertunity to have seen the real thing I purchased, and am eagerly waiting for the additions.

Thanks for purchasing, Ralph. Now that you are part of the family, you will enjoy the periodic free updates. The upcoming version will contain a Lionfish which took me a month to create, and there will soon be a new 3D background and other goodies.

Version 1.1 Cracked already
 

Jim I am sorry to say that I see S/N and keygens already for your 1.1v.
There is NO STOPING this type of activity

Re: Version 1.1 Cracked already
 

Yep its true, because I got one of the serial numbers off the net for v1.1 ...

now, in reference to my other post regarding this, I'm thoroughly impressed with the Lionfish! The demo wouldn't let me see it, and now that I have, I'm gonna buy :)

Re: Re: Version 1.1 Cracked already
 

Spyder..
as Jim said b4, it's very noble of u get the illegal already but u still gonna buy it,I'm sorry but I have to say this,I REALLY doubt u'll gonna buy it if u have illegal S/N now,
if u really do support Jim, buying it isn't enough for u,
the best u can do is send those illegal S/N or Keygen to Jim to let him out it under "blocked" list.....

I know u r the one who r searching for S/N in the first place...
u've even send private msg to me and beg for S/N after u know I got several keycode email.....I wasn't wanna spread this around first...to keep ur face on and survive on this forum....
but now :mad:
I think I have to let u know what u did is a shame and I should let other know......

PLEASE, anyone who found the keycode or keygen on the net...
please report it to Jim to let him disable it in the next update....
this is someway we can give something back for Jim....

No need to send us the illegals, it would just increase the email load. We monitor all the crack boards and newsgroups. Illegal keys will be blocked as they show up. If someone posts their real key, they lose it for future updates.

wow REALLY?
that must be a very taugh job.....there r soooooooooo many cracks out there.....it's hard to imaging how can u monitor all those......
I admire that......

Jim....is it possible to make SSA a product activation process on the first time run?
the server might be a problem....hum....just a thought....

Re: Re: Re: Version 1.1 Cracked already
 

Sure I admit I did that, but for no other reason than to evaluate the full product. Theres a big difference between asking you for one of the extra serials you received and begging for it, so you need to choose your wording a little better. Anyways, the big picture here is, whats the difference if I asked you and got it from you or from somewhere else on the net?

I could care less about "saving face".. I've been real from the beginning. I said what I was doing, why I was doing it, and what will happen in the end.

I purchased the aquarium today FYI. So you can believe what you want to believe.

James - it's not very hard to track. A simple daily Usenet search uncovers most of the messages. And finding the rest of them... well I'm sure you know what all the 20 programmers at Prolific did before they came over to the light side of the Force.

good to hear that :)
btw,if u really like it then u should buy it from the beginning,why nother to search the cracks?for evaluation??that's only arguing speciously...not a good enough reason....
my wording maybe hard....but that's what I feel from u......
anyway....u r a very noble man now.....:TU:

I know and that sounds great....:)
NICE!:TU:

For what it is worth. I installed version 1.1 on Feb 20, by Feb 22 there was a key generator available (I found it on the 23 and sent a copy to Feldon). There is very litle defense against a properly coded key generator and it will provide a number every bit as valid as one by Prolific.
Not every illegal copy is lost revenue though. Some will purchase after they see the full features. Some will purchace when they realize this is the product of an individual and not some faceless corporation. And some displays, illegal or not, will inspire others to purchase.
Not that it is any consilation but to have a key generator made for a 20$ program does say something for the product.
Ralph

Just a side note...

In the mid '80's one of the biggest selling pieces of software was for the Apple II line of computers. It was called AppleWorks. The Program cost about $200, and came on 2 800k disks, or something like 8 140k disks. Anyway it was one of the biggest sellers for home and small office computers, regardless of make (Apple, IBM, Atari, etc...)

The interesting thing was it was NEVER copy protected. I might also add it was THE MOST pirated piece of software at that time as well.

I used AppleWorks (which my parents actually paid for) all through grade school and high school and beyond until about 1992 when both of the floppies for my IIc crapped out.

Yes. I used a keygen before I bought serenescreen. I don't really feel that bad about it because it's a great way to buy software over the internet. It's just so easy to find a keygen, and if you're thinking of buying the software it's in anyone's best interest to try it out before they buy it. I think it's really tough for people to buy something that they can get for free across the street, even if it's not perfectly legal. Sorry about that, and I hope that software security gets better with time so you won't have to deal with these sort of issues.

For any of those against the whole keygen/warez thing... if someone asks you for a serial number..just give them this one:

Y4RIGH7Y0UW4R3ZM0NK3Y

:D

After reading all the post here. I can't help but wonder, what percentage of people on the board are using a cracked version.

Just my 2 cents but I would think very few. It is my opinion that software (or anything) is "borrowed" from faceless corporations. Once it has a face it becomes like "borrowing" from the family. I would doubt there are many software programs where one can speak directly to the creator / developer and get a timely thought out response.
I am sure there are signifigant numbers of SS running and registered with a false number. Certainly there are numerous requests, I would guess 1-2 per day in those groups that I look into. But, those individuals will not likely be spending much time on this board.
Ralph

Jim, Why would you allow a wrong key to run for up to a year. Alot has happened in a year especially with this screensaver. Sounds counter productive to me. A year ago, I had a P2-450 now thats the kids computer :) Now if after a year the fish just started eating the hard drive until it was formatted that would be cool.

Uh-oh, you may be onto our little plan.

Sounds like just scare tactics to me!!

– Duh! – :rolleyes: