Piracy - The Battle

[EQnoble]

Hey what is that sensei?

a bbcode that needs a authkey to use, bbcode display is not complete in this video...the purpose of posting it was to show that this would make any attempt to redistribute the bbcode/addon pointless..

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[John]

It may work with some addons, but there is nothing one can do to even slow down pirating styles other than having strong measures at the point of sale. I have investigated every possibility in my years in business and I eventually learned a system that works for me (even then, I still get the occasional robbery happen).

This may sound absurd, but I actually view piracy of my stuff as a sign that legitimate business will/should be good for a particular product...if it's popular with the pirates, it will be with paying customers too (plus it's free advertising lol). I've actually developed a friendship online with an "old school" pirate which has been fun.

 

[Luxus]

The only post here so far that made me rethink my opinion about this situation is Luke's post. He said:

XenForo addons don't get a huge amount of sales

Perhaps it wasn't appropriate to compare established CMS addon companies with people who code addons to earn some extra for their collage studies. So in that sense, I can understand that this is a serious issue for some and hope they will find a solution that works for them and make everyone happy.

 

[Kim]

Good idea Stew.

At IPS we had a private forum for resource providers, where information on known pirates was exchanged, amongst other stuff

We also got to interact with the staff and management on a more personal/direct level.

 

[Paul B]

How do IPS do it Kim?
What is the criteria for gaining access to the private forum?

Is it anyone who creates even the smallest add-on or simplest style?
Or is it reserved for the larger developers/stylers?

 

[Luxus]

If you guys are really serious about this and don't want these attempts to go nowhere here is a tip that might actually work: I know one Joomla addon that can't be pirated because it's bound to a domain. First you pay for it, then you can enter your domain, but only one per purchase. Then you will get the addon, but it will only work on your domain. If you install it on another, it refuses to work. However for this to function the addon must be encoded. So you need to install ionCube or similar to your server.

Of course this has some unpretty cons. You can't edit the core to fix some bugs or add features. You must solely rely on the developer. Personally I don't like encoded stuff, but if the addon in question is really that good and supported, then I have no problem paying for it. Of course it doesn't mean that all developers now should encode all their addons, because this would be overkill.

 

[Kevin]

However for this to function the addon must be encoded. So you need to install ionCube or similar to your server.

As another person who has been at this game for a long time, please take my word for it when I say most (not all) forum customers refuse to deal with anything that is encoded unless it is for a very specific purpose. Heck, I wouldn't even purchase most add-ons if they were encoded let alone trying to distribute any that way.

 

[Pereira]

How do IPS do it Kim?
What is the criteria for gaining access to the private forum?

Is it anyone who creates even the smallest add-on or simplest style?
Or is it reserved for the larger developers/stylers?

http://community.invisionpower.com/resources/marketplace/guidelines.html

Special Perks

Once you have an approved listing in the IPS Marketplace you will get access to a private Contributors forum where you can talk to IPS staff and other contributors. You will also have early-access to software releases to help IPS in testing and developing your submissions.

 

[Paul B]

Do all listings need to be approved to be in the marketplace?

Or is it a special status that is awarded to a select few?

 

[Kim]

How do IPS do it Kim?
What is the criteria for gaining access to the private forum?

Is it anyone who creates even the smallest add-on or simplest style?
Or is it reserved for the larger developers/stylers?

The criteria is that you must be a known and established resource provider, and then you apply to be added to a usergroup, which has access to a hidden forum, much like a staff forum.

It was actually about the only good forum on their site LOL but that aside... it was an immensely valuable meeting place for developers and designers, and a lot of good ideas came from there, along with the ablity to trouble shoot coding problems amongst peers, and so on.

*Edit - wishful thinking on my part, you don't have to be known nor established.

 

[Kim]

Do all listings need to be approved to be in the marketplace?

Or is it a special status that is awarded to a select few?

Yes, listings are approved one by one.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Could it be easier to protect addons if they were all distributed through Xenforo.com ?
I'd love it if I could pay Xenforo ... and then pay the addon makers through my money I have in my "Xenforo Account".

 

[Paul B]

Yes, listings are approved one by one.

Ah, so that differs from here then as approval is not required to submit something to the RM.

So it would need different criteria, if it was ever implemented of course.

 

[Kim]

Ah, so that differs from here then as approval is not required to submit something to the RM.

So it would need different criteria, if it was ever implemented of course.

No doubt

They also allowed even someone with the simplest of styles, or most basic resource in there, I personally didn't like that, as you had particularly annoying Post spammers doing a simple colour change style to get access in there.

I think it should be reserved for those with either X amount of resources, or Paid resources, or some such qualifying criteria. Otherwise it is just another forum.

Invitation only would be ideal *snob* lol

 

[AWS]

The criteria is that you must be a known and established resource provider, and then you apply to be added to a usergroup, which has access to a hidden forum, much like a staff forum.

It was actually about the only good forum on their site LOL but that aside... it was an immensely valuable meeting place for developers and designers, and a lot of good ideas came from there, along with the ablity to trouble shoot coding problems amongst peers, and so on.

I released one addon and was put in the new group with access to the dev forum after my first release was approved. I also lost that access when I removed the addon. No need to be established or well known. The way it looks to me is if you release quality stuff on the first try you get in.

 

[Kim]

I released one addon and was put in the new group with access to the dev forum after my first release was approved. I also lost that access when I removed the addon. No need to be established or well known. The way it looks to me is if you release quality stuff on the first try you get in.

Yes, I know, I misworded how I put it, that was my wishful thinking coming to the fore

NO offense to you of course, I just think it should require more than one resource, no matter the quality

 

[Paul B]

I can envisage that setting the criteria would be problematical and there would be complaints of favouritism, etc.

If it was based on quantity then someone could release x amount of poor styles/add-ons to gain access.
On the other hand, if it was based on quality then it could only require 1 to gain access.

The first criteria isn't ideal for obvious reasons and the second criteria is going to be somewhat subjective and that's where any potential problems would lie.

 

[Sheldon]

No doubt

They also allowed even someone with the simplest of styles, or most basic resource in there, I personally didn't like that, as you had particularly annoying Post spammers doing a simple colour change style to get access in there.

I think it should be reserved for those with either X amount of resources, or Paid resources, or some such qualifying criteria. Otherwise it is just another forum.

Invitation only would be ideal *snob* lol

I have to agree with this.

Take a list of say 5-7 ESTABLISHED MEMBERS/CODERS/TRUSTED MEMBERS to decide who gets in. Some random jackwagon like me does not get in. This should only serve as a way to help fight (no, not STOP, but fight back) the piracy.

You could start with say, Jake, Brogan, Slavik, Lawrence and Dean (yes, he is a mod!!!!), meaning 4 votes to get in for the "first wave" so to speak. Then of that, have your Selection Committee.

Dunno... just seems that XF would really benefit from showing the developers of add-ons and styles here that they support them too, just as the all these add-ons "support" xF. Without quite a few of them, I know there would be a few less sales of XenForo.

 

[Kim]

I can envisage that setting the criteria would be problematical and there would be complaints of favouritism, etc.

If it was based on quantity then someone could release x amount of poor styles/add-ons to gain access.
On the other hand, if it was based on quality then it could only require 1 to gain access.

The first criteria isn't ideal for obvious reasons and the second criteria is going to be somewhat subjective and that's where any potential problems would lie.

Perhaps to counter any such claims it could be weighted with ratings on the resources, or something similar.

 

[Digital Doctor]

XenForo addons don't get a huge amount of sales

So maybe concentrating on the people that would buy vs. the pirates could be more valuable anyway ?
I guess then the question is .... why do people not buy addons ? What are the barriers ?