How to Stop Warez Pirates: Ask Them Nicely
Organizations such as the MPAA, RIAA and IFPI spend millions of dollars enforcing copyrights by getting people fined and even jailed for file-sharing. So when a small developer sees his work pirated on the internet, what can he do about it with his tiny resources? Easy. He emails the warez group, turns on the charm and asks them nicely to leave him alone in the future - and they agree!
Trey Harrison is a 29 year old, living in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and a couple of cats. He enjoys writing music and creating music videos and has just invested the last 7 years to bring out a PC application called ‘Salvation‘.
“I imagined it as a tool for creating custom video and lighting controls at music venues” says Trey. “My first customer Denne continues to please crowds with his mixes at club Rai in Moscow, and recently the Inside Us All VJ collective began using it to power some awesome multi-projector HD displays in the UK. It’s a rather powerful realtime graphics tool now, and one of my next goals is to make that power accessible within After Effects and Final Cut.”
Then came the inevitable news - ‘Salvation’ had been cracked and made available on the internet by a release group known as BlueBeta3D who actually displayed their email address in the .NFO. So Trey dropped them a line, to see if they could come to some sort of arrangement…..
___________________________________________
Subject: Is there any negotiating with pirates?
From: Trey Harrison
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 20:56:27 -0700
To: BlueBeta3D@hushmail.com
Hi, you guys have recently released a pirated version of my software called
“Salvation”. I’m not very surprised - actually I’m flattered - but I was
wondering if we could arrange a meeting to discuss the possibility of you
not doing this any more?
Best,
Trey Harrison
http://www.harrisondigitalmedia.com
___________________________________________
Trey explains, “I was pretty sure I’d never hear from them, so I sent off an email to the company I purchased my anti-piracy protection tool from, as well as an email to the hosting company that is hosting the warezed copy. Who responded first? The pirates.”
___________________________________________
Subject: Re: Is there any negotiating with pirates?
From:
Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 17:11:27 +0100
To: “Trey Harrison”
Hi Trey,
We appreciate your comments and understand the role of developers ,
we only released it so many people who may not have access or
privileges could try this and learn. Hopefully its given more
global coverage. Apologies for any grievance it may have caused. We
also noted your comments and will not release this again. Good Luck
and best wishes for future developement.
Greets
___________________________________________
As Trey just achieved what the RIAA and MPAA can’t achieve with millions of dollars, we decided to ask him a few questions about this unique moment.
1. Considering the huge amount time and effort you put into this project, it’s no surprise there were some strong emotions when you realized your work had been pirated. You mentioned your emotions cycled through being pissed, to vengeful to honored. Could you tell us a little about the background to those emotions?
I felt proud and victimized at the same time. Most of my time is spent implementing features and fixing bugs at the request of paying customers, so when a cracking group puts the program out there free for anyone to download, it has a real impact on the investment that my customers have made, that potential customers might make, and the time that I’ve put into it. But at the same time, getting that recognition by the warez groups as being crack-worthy is a milestone that I’m proud to have reached.
2. You mentioned that Salvation was protected by a 3rd party anti-piracy tool. Which tool was it, what were your considerations when choosing it and do you feel that you’ve received good value for money?
I wanted to distribute Salvation online as shareware with a 30 day expiration. I purchased “Armadillo Software Passport” hoping it would catch and stop the average person who tries to set their system clock back in time, but I knew it would probably be cracked by a warez group at some point. There are more expensive anti-piracy tools out there but I think they are all equally useless against a determined cracker. The Armadillo guys provided great tech support along the way, so up until the day it was pirated I was very satisfied with their product and service.
3. You emailed the warez release group, anti-piracy company and hosting company to complain about your product being pirated. When the warez group responded first and in a very polite and positive manner, what were your feelings?
I was pleasantly surprised! I always thought warez groups were elusive and impossible to get in touch with. The fact that they responded was amazing, but the idea of them putting a halt on the release and promising not to do it anymore… it really blew my mind. I think I may have stumbled across a revolutionary business strategy.
4. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on copy-protection and DRM mechanisms. Have your anti-piracy company responded yet and if so, what did they say about Salvation now being available on the internet DRM-free, despite your investment?
I sent the Armadillo guys an email that included the pirated .zip package. I was hoping they would thank me, offer an apology, and study it to improve their protection scheme, but they didn’t even respond. I’m not sure what to expect from them at this point. Maybe they’ll have something to say after this interview is published. =)
5. Without a big marketing budget, it can be very hard indeed to get your product noticed on the internet. Even big artists such as Kylie Minogue appear to be using internet leaks to gain publicity. Have you considered that the extra publicity your software will get due to it’s availability on the internet (and articles like this), might actually improve your exposure and sales figures?
It’s an unusual story so it will probably attract attention. I just hope the attention is from paying customers rather than pirates. TorrentFreaks pay for all of their software, right? =)
6. One school of thought suggests that far from being all bad, pirate software users can be useful, providing a valuable source of knowledge about software products on internet discussion forums, even going as far to offer a kind of free-of-charge product support for paying customers. What are your general feelings about piracy and have your recent experiences changed the way you feel about it?
I’ll admit I’ve copied an mp3 here and there without giving it much thought. All the work that goes into creating a good song is easily taken for granted when your computer brings it to you in a matter of seconds. When Salvation was pirated it really opened my eyes to the fact that piracy has a real impact on real people. I used to think anti-piracy organizations like the RIAA and MPAA were pure evil but I’ve realized now that we share the same basic interest in preventing piracy. I just wish they would wake up and realize that suing grandmas and little girls isn’t going to increase sales. Maybe they should bring me on as a consultant - I’m cheaper than a team of lawyers and I have proven success in the field. =)
We contacted BlueBeta3D and they said “Our release are aimed for purely for people who wish to learn and do not have the benefits/or just help to extend an evaluation.” They also made it quite clear that they are against any commercialization of piracy and maybe, just maybe, they’re also men of their word in respect of leaving Trey alone in the future.
Who said you can’t negotiate with pirates?
Previously: Most Popular DVDrips on BitTorrent (wk24)
Next: HTTP Traffic Overtakes P2P, Courtesy of YouTube
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still, there is a big difference between one-person companies and big time players like the ones associated with the *IAA’s.
Nevertheless, nice article!
I most say, I am not surprised, groups who publish releases are humans too, and almost all humans react positiv if you ask them nicely.
Nevertheless I always download pirated software and use them for some time, if they are worth the pirce I will buy it, otherwise I will find an alternativ. It is always up to the user would downloads the pirated software to buy it afterwards if they found it worth it, so generaly it is a moral / conscience question all has to ask themselfs.
Imagine yourself in the position of the wares group:
You release software that are mass-produced so that the proverbial ‘little guy’ can get a good trial without paying more than they can afford. If you get a takedown notice from a large corporation, you don’t really feel that your release is harming the creators. When you get a polite request like this, you feel the opposite: that you’re harming, rather than helping the little guy.
Moral of the story? When talking to grassroots, its pays to be the little guy.
Honestly, this sounds like a full line of bull.
Yes, it would be nice of us to stop releasing small developers programs, music, etc.
The problem with this, that you guys kind of hit and missed on, is that there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of RG’s across the world that do this every day. Just because one was nice, and said hay, we’ll stop, doesn’t mean the rest of us are even going to raise an eyebrow when we come across the program in a later version. Yes, we do this for the underprivledged and the ‘little guys’. The little developers may feel the pinch more than the big ones. That does not change the fact that when I pirate and release something, I still have paid for the original version.
Also, did he really expect something back from Armadillo? They’re just like any other company: They’ve already got your money, it’s too late now.
Also, lets not forget the fact that he just admitted, publicly, on the intertubs, that he has pirated music before. You think the MPAA/RIAA is going to slow down for a small time developer when they take down grandma’s and little girls, in your own words?
Smooth move, ex-lax.
well I admire what took place… positivity does work, only NOT with the CorpoRats because they ALWAYS have ulterior motives..!!
There are huge fundamental differences between small developers and the CorpoRats….!! Big Business lacks empathy and human regard. With it’s infinite growth in a finite world bull and Economy before Ecology Craziness. Little wonder that there is no regard for the Corporats…!! They create the situation then complain when it bites back… Hah
CorpoRats could learn a thing or two from Terry… Positivity might foster good will….. Negativity be gets more negativity… but they need to change so much more…
Bring back Small Bussiness.. Down with the Selfish, Self-serving, CorpoRats. Long live Mom & Pop organizations…. enough said..:)
“You think the MPAA/RIAA is going to slow down for a small time developer when they take down grandma’s and little girls, in your own words?
Smooth move, ex-lax.”
Right, the RIAA is going to read his small interview and have their lawyers banging down his doors the next morning….sure.
Plenty of people have publicly said they have downloaded music. To my knowledge, none of them have been in the RIAAs crosshairs. Also, a simple admission generally isn’t enough for a conviction.
Re: Nuklear -
Nobody thinks it is possible to completely end piracy by simply asking nicely. It just happens to have worked in this case, and that makes for an interesting story. That’s all.
I do agree strongly with Nuklear[RG] not trying to hurt people but the work that is done to get good quality warez is always left unpaid and their is just as much work done on thoughs things as their is done on the programs being pirated. As for Trey, sorry to say but its people like you that get sued by the anti-piracy companies for comments incriminating you.
Nothing more … nothing less …
The RG should’ve just sent a nice letter about the purpose of piracy instead of promising to never crack it again, because now they can’t crack it again. Almost every release group instructs users to buy the products they use, and people should.
Piracy, though sometimes misused, is not about getting software for free; it’s about keeping culture and power in the hands of the little guys. Would you really pay $1000 just to play around with Photoshop, to learn about it, to see what it’s like? The unemployed artist, trying to adjust to a world where hand-drawn stuff is no longer profitable for most people, should really fork down two months’ living expenses to acquire the skills he needs so he can continue to feed his children? Once he starts getting a salary, if he uses his home copy of Photoshop for something real, then yeah, he should pay for it. But in the meantime, release groups are his saviors.
Piracy is an overwhelmingly positive force in this world, and many people would be far worse off without the efforts of the crackers bringing us the good software. Thank you, crackers. Creators, please understand this. You may shy away from offering free versions on your site to strengthen your brand, that’s ok, just don’t be evil.
Most people who download pirated software cannot afford to buy the software in the first place. Stuff like photoshop and 3d studio max ($1500) need a lot of green.
In all honesty I pay for all the software that I think is a reasonable price ($600 for high-end software). But when they start hitting 4 digits, I’m sorry but no matter how you look at it you are being ridiculous.
Developers need to stop trying the “get rich quick” schemes. Software is also not like physical property it generally costs far less to distribute.
Boo on BlueBeta3D!!!
BlueBeta3D did a crapload of harm by giving in! Software is not for making money, and that’s one less programmer learning their lesson. Programmers have a calling and a duty to write software that’s useful for no other reason than to help a guy out. If he’s too selfish for that honor to be enough for him, then he needs to find another hobby or career.
Parley? says Captain Jack Sparrow
[quote comment="118037"]Programmers have a calling and a duty to write software that’s useful for no other reason than to help a guy out. If he’s too selfish for that honor to be enough for him, then he needs to find another hobby or career.[/quote]
Hey Ghosx, I’m hungry. Why don’t you answer to your calling and duty as a Subway employee and make me a sandwich!
Money is a necessary evil in this world, because it’s the only way we’ve got right now to coax selfish lazy worthless scum into doing something for their fellow man… we have to bait them with financial reward. Writing computer software typically requires tremendous skill, mental discipline and knowledge. Sure, there’s lots of idiot programmers out to make a fast buck, and I personally think they should be tied to a post and sexually abused by a goat, but there are some highly talented and respectable coders like Trey Harrison here, who write software that satisfies a need and makes other people’s lives easier and more productive. Obviously his target market is not the average teenager dirtbag, sorry Ghosx that means you!
I’m all for open source. :)
I don’t pirate movies. I did one day and my ISP forwarded me an email saying I’d been spotting downloadng and please stop. A nice pleasant note with no threats. So I stopped.
Smart generals know: In any battle plan, make sure your enemy has a nice easy escape route.
Ghosx, I’m a programmer by trade. Many free software developers and release group members are as well. There’s nothing inherently wrong in asking for money for your contributions.
Please note Ghosx’s opinions do not reflect those of the majority of release groups, which crack and release software for the greater good and advise all with the means to purchase the software they use.
I didn’t realise there was an ‘opt-out’ policy for those of us not wanting to get ripped off by criminals. Now that I know, I might just email all the hundreds or thousands of crackign groups around the world, and tell them very kindly to stop fucking stealing my shit.
Cheers ;)
m@
[quote comment="118013"]The RG should’ve just sent a nice letter about the purpose of piracy instead of promising to never crack it again, because now they can’t crack it again. Almost every release group instructs users to buy the products they use, and people should.
Piracy, though sometimes misused, is not about getting software for free; it’s about keeping culture and power in the hands of the little guys. Would you really pay $1000 just to play around with Photoshop, to learn about it, to see what it’s like? The unemployed artist, trying to adjust to a world where hand-drawn stuff is no longer profitable for most people, should really fork down two months’ living expenses to acquire the skills he needs so he can continue to feed his children? Once he starts getting a salary, if he uses his home copy of Photoshop for something real, then yeah, he should pay for it. But in the meantime, release groups are his saviors.
Piracy is an overwhelmingly positive force in this world, and many people would be far worse off without the efforts of the crackers bringing us the good software. Thank you, crackers. Creators, please understand this. You may shy away from offering free versions on your site to strengthen your brand, that’s ok, just don’t be evil.[/quote]
Bullshit. THere are tons of free or very cheap photoshop clones, ditto OS’s, internet packages and DAW software. Piracy is not positive, it’s negative, and the people who pirate photoshop don’t put smaller amounts of money in the hands of the small-time developers who get hardest. Crossing over from a smaller package, such as Paint.net, to photoshop, is an easy task, once you actually are in the position to pay for it. Piracy harms all developers.
My 2c.
«05:51:32» {@[PRE]} [PRED] [ Harrison.Digital.Media.Salvation.MX.v1.0-BB3D ] [ 0DAY / BB3D ] [ 15.1MB in 4F ] got released 44d 3h 11m 26s ago [2007-05-05]
rock on blue beta. and trey, kudos on writing your own successful software.
Parlay?
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