serial numbers:why not only one?

[Najdorf]

On esellerate (if I did understand well) they advise you, if you wanna put fixed serial numbers, to use at least 500.

Now, why can't I just put one? I mean, if all 500 work anyways, whats the difference between having 500 or 1?

[Jake]

So you can identify who gave your serial to Surfers Serial or Serial Box maybe?

[Najdorf]

:blush:
Well, it wasn't so easy... instead, when I know who he is, what do I do? a legal threat?

[inio]

Originally posted by Najdorf
:blush:
Well, it wasn't so easy... instead, when I know who he is, what do I do? a legal threat?
No, just disable that SN in a later version.

[Bachus]

Originally posted by inio
No, just disable that SN in a later version.

And when that user contacts you for a new SN, you shoot 'em in the knee caps.

But seriously, this is the major reason everyone should get a different serial number. So you can disable it in updates and prevent casual piracy.

[Mazilurik]

Ideally, all of your serial numbers should be tied to the name or e-mail of the person who's registering to make this sort of identification easier; if you have a list of 500 fixed serial numbers, 1000 people register, and one person decides to place his key online, then you can't disable the key without also disabling the key of someone who paid you for the game and didn't do anything wrong. It takes a bit more work to get the registration system set up if you generate the codes based on name or e-mail, but it's probably worth the effort.

[ERaZer]

Yeah, I agree with Mazilurik.
The only problem with this is if someone cracks your code for making the codes.

[Najdorf]

if you have a list of 500 fixed serial numbers, 1000 people register

Are you fooling me? How the hell do you think I could get 1000 registrations :lol: ??

Jake, how did you do? You have an algorithm or did you decide your codes yourself? (500 codes!)

[Jake]

Originally posted by Najdorf
Are you fooling me? How the hell do you think I could get 1000 registrations :lol: ??

Jake, how did you do? You have an algorithm or did you decide your codes yourself? (500 codes!)

My thing can generate infinite codes, but i was to lazy to code a script in paypal to bother. Plus my codes are actually binary files, not letters/numbers.

[Najdorf]

the hell, I think a software with less than 500 people registering won't have problems with piracy... what's you're experience? And also if it has... I think that people that look for a serial won't buy the game not even if they don't find it.

[Jake]

Originally posted by Najdorf
the hell, I think a software with less than 500 people registering won't have problems with piracy... what's you're experience? And also if it has... I think that people that look for a serial won't buy the game not even if they don't find it.

Right, for shareware games consider it a compliment to be on Surfers Serial.

I really don't care if people pirate my games, because if i did I would be a hypocrite :shock:

[Najdorf]

Right, for shareware games consider it a compliment to be on Surfers Serial.
So, it'll be my goal :lol:

[Najdorf]

Ha Ha :lol: Hey jake, I saw the quarrel on your "Auto reviews" of escape :lol: . Hey, I have nothing against that, but at least don't use your real name to rate the game twice in the same forum (VT) :lol:

[Jake]

Originally posted by Najdorf
Ha Ha :lol: Hey jake, I saw the quarrel on your "Auto reviews" of escape :lol: . Hey, I have nothing against that, but at least don't use your real name to rate the game twice in the same forum (VT) :lol:

Lol, I just needed to get rid of the 2 idiots that gave me a 1 star, one compared it to a commercial game and the other said "BAD PROGRAMMIN", thats it

[Najdorf]

Yeah, BAD PROGRAMMING:blink: WAHAHAHA:lol: he probably didn't know what programming was. Yeah, it's full of idiots wandering there... OK, this is no problem, but when the idiot spends his time and effort to write stupid things that hurt you (they lower the reputation of your game), then you start hating the idiot with all your heart (Emphi3 is a specialist):lol: .
The cool thing is that if you check Emphi3, he actually did try to make some program: one that calculates real roots of ax^2+bx+c=0 and a game where if you see a number that is multiple of 3 you have to say hip and if it's multiple of 5 hop and if multiple of both hiphop. And he dares to say things to others:lol:;

[Joseph Duchesne]

Hey: everyone copy Ambrosia! Nobody has been able to beat their system.

Here's how it seems to work:

The code is time limited(I found this out when I tried to install Coldstone on my new mac), it has to do with the name. It uses a multiple number of preset keys (name*date*key or something). I bet the pirates hate Ambrosia :p .

SW Pirates will take anything! Even airburst :( which costs only 5$ :mad: .

I hate whoever made serial box! Worst yet I don't have thousands to fight them! Heh I wonder what Adobe thought when the got a copy of it BCC from me :p . I'm sure they wern't to happy to see the code to make their serial numbers on it :D .

[Najdorf]

I'll go on something quite simple, but not so easy to crack (NO! Don't try! :p ). I thought it up myself so I'm sure it sucks :lol:

[Bachus]

Originally posted by Joseph Duchesne
Hey: everyone copy Ambrosia! Nobody has been able to beat their system.

Here's how it seems to work:

The code is time limited(I found this out when I tried to install Coldstone on my new mac), it has to do with the name. It uses a multiple number of preset keys (name*date*key or something). I bet the pirates hate Ambrosia :p .


Actually, it's quite easy to beat. The serial numbers *are* time-stamped, but warezers just distribute the time you need to set your clock to before you enter the serial. Recent Ambrosia products also "phone-home" to Ambrosia to check out that the serial is a valid one, but there are ways around that as well.

Basically, you'll never stop pirates. You should definitely restrict access to your shareware product without a serial number, but that's only to stop people that wouldn't normally register without a limitation. Anybody who knows how to look up a serial for your program will be able to get around any other roadblocks you add. You're just wasting time and energy trying to stop anybody but the most casual of pirates.

[Leisure Suit Lurie]

Originally posted by Najdorf
The cool thing is that if you check Emphi3, he actually did try to make some program: one that calculates real roots of ax^2+bx+c=0...

(-b +/- sqrt(b^2-4*a*c))/2*a

[OneSadCookie]

(-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / 2a

:p

[Najdorf]

$\frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}$
\footnote{Typeset in \LaTeX}

[Leisure Suit Lurie]

Originally posted by OneSadCookie
(-b ± √(b² - 4ac)) / 2a

:p
I bow to your typographical skills. Should've just written or.