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Thread: Can you trick software?

  1. 20th August 2008, 06:11 PM #1
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    Can you trick software?

    A hypothetical question.

    Let's say I had software with a 30 day trial period, after which it had to be registered to work properly.

    As I understand it (may be wrong and probably am), when I install said software it some how adds a date stamp in the registry??

    If I was to set the calendar forward, say 1 year, then install said software and reset the year back. Would that give me 1 year and 30 days ?

    Cheers
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  2. 20th August 2008, 06:24 PM #2
    knp
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    Hypothetically? Yes it could work but only if the licensing algorithm is fairly basic. There are some programs that can detect and prevent tricks like this.

    Most cheap software (eg shareware) does not have this ability but that is why it is cheap and therefore why not buy it anyway?

    My advice is to either buy the software, negotiate a longer trial period, or find/use an alternate product which has is "free for private use" under the relevant public license. If you are using it for a business then you should not be using unlicensed software anyway!

    Cheers
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  3. 20th August 2008, 06:26 PM #3
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    I would say that almost any 'real' licenced software would not fall for that.

    Rgds
    Pete
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  4. 20th August 2008, 06:45 PM #4
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    thats incrediably old school and wont work on anything that was written for windows after 95......


    what are you trying to fnagel your way out of?

    I dont mind it for major software developers that produce crapware that only works properly with their own proprietry software on good days (yes, Im talking about you microsoft) but if your taking the pick out of a small private enterprise thats just not cricket.....
    Dave

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  5. 20th August 2008, 06:59 PM #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blknight.aus View Post
    thats incrediably old school and wont work on anything that was written for windows after 95......


    what are you trying to fnagel your way out of?

    I dont mind it for major software developers that produce crapware that only works properly with their own proprietry software on good days (yes, Im talking about you microsoft) but if your taking the pick out of a small private enterprise thats just not cricket.....
    Not at all my boy, not at all ...

    It's a major league player in the ballpark, who have just relieved me of many many $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I then find their supplied software to adjust the outcome of said investment ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) is limited to a trial basis, and if I'm happy with it then they want more $$$$$$$, albeit on a much more modest scale.

    Twas then the bard appeared to my weird and twisted little mind and sayeth unto me .... "Hold ... enough"

    Merely cogitating outside the square ........




    after being fleeced down to my gozundas
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  6. 20th August 2008, 07:50 PM #6
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    theres a few other tricks you can try, but if its a major software company Im betting they have a counter embeded in its executable that checks off the times against the systems RTC and these days it will check in on any number of the internet clocks as well.

    If its doing a registry update or .ini .dat or .cfg update to keep check of the date you can ocasionally work around by editing that... but most of that stuff went out with win 98SE and SP2...

    It might just be worth keeping the payments up as that should entitle you to tech support and updates....
    Dave

    "In a Landrover the other vehicle is your crumple zone."

    For spelling call Rogets, for mechanicing call me.

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    If you've benefited from one or more of my posts please remember, your taxes paid for my skill sets, I'm just trying to make sure you get your monies worth.
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  7. 20th August 2008, 08:18 PM #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blknight.aus View Post

    It might just be worth keeping the payments up as that should entitle you to tech support and updates....

    You're probably right ...
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  8. 21st August 2008, 03:26 PM #8
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    You can find registration "crack keys" and "keygen's" (key generator's) for just about anything these days. Just need to be careful googling those sorts of things without decent spyware/antivirus software running, some sites with that sort of thing can be a bit dodgy (who'd have thought it).

    A friend from work was talking to a guy developing a small bit of software, and told him "you will know if your program's any good, coz if it is, someone will crack it and put it on the internet for free"
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