Just wanted to let you know..

Screemer · February 09, 2009, 11:23:45 AM

I've found your software on questionable websites..

Downloadable for free..
No password required or anything..

Personally I think that stinks and I hope you can do something about it from your end.
After all, at least I bought process lasso..

Code Select

Process Lasso Pro v3.47.0 beta

<edit> changed, since hot links wasn't souch a good idea.. Sorry.. <edit>

Tested/Working

Perhas change of licensing code system and weblink system or something could be made to make this problem go away? Just thought I should let you know.

Zero · February 09, 2009, 12:25:01 PM

nothing can be simpler

Just modify how the download system works. Make it like PECompact is.
Only the people who actually purchased the app are entitled to download it.

Imo that's the simples solution. Since I don't believe that the license holders will just give out process lasso for free.

So nothing can be simpler. Log In, then download and you're done.

Ruhe · February 09, 2009, 12:48:26 PM

Do you think it's a good idea to post the links here? $:-\$

Zero · February 09, 2009, 12:56:17 PM

He probably thinks that no one would actually consider looking in this place.

Please remove those links. Just say that you've found them on warez sites, and would like for the admin to change the download method.

Posting these links here will only reveal them to the other people that are using/browsing this forum. And now we all have it.

Ruhe · February 09, 2009, 12:59:08 PM

I've already informed Jeremy about this via mail.

Zero · February 09, 2009, 01:03:36 PM

Smart move Ruhe

Jeremy Collake · February 09, 2009, 02:42:50 PM

Thank you all for letting me know. I'll be changing the links today, or tomorrow morning at latest. There will be some code changes required, so I don't want to rush through it without testing. I'll replace the copies at those URLs with the free builds

. I'll also work to improve the system so that static links aren't available.

Zero · February 09, 2009, 03:33:58 PM

The biggest flaw with process lasso was that when a new version came up. Once you clicked the Go button, you got redirected to a blank page, and then the zip archive popped up, revealing the retail dl link.

Just make it so it will download the installer right after you click the GO button.....no redirecting...no nothing. Or whatever else you had in mind.

Screemer · February 09, 2009, 05:06:00 PM

I hate to see good peoples hard work get stolen..

Keep the great work up and know that many of us love your software..

Jeremy Collake · February 09, 2009, 06:46:40 PM

Yes, the updater for Process Lasso was designed when the product was more free than it is now. It is the biggest point of vulnerability, and I'll definitely be working to fix it. My current plan is to allow the user to enter their login information in the Process Lasso updater, so that unauthenticated downloads are not allowed.

Zero · February 09, 2009, 06:59:20 PM

Is that anything like how PECompact's download system works, or a totally different one?

What you're just describing sound a lil' to complex.

Maybe the same security measures like PECompact?

But then again, it's your app, so you are the one fit to make the decisions.

Jeremy Collake · February 10, 2009, 08:26:16 AM

While both products use the same update system, the difference is that while I could (and may) force users to login to the web site each time they update, as I do with PECompact, I would rather avoid that. The frequency of updates to Process Lasso is much higher, and I don't want to penalize Pro users by making them go through an extra step not required in the free build. Of course, entering the login information into Process Lasso, even though it will be a one time operation, isn't much easier than logging into the web site. So, I don't know if that was one of my better ideas.

A new thought occurred to me: Since the link for the update actually comes from the database, I could start dynamically generating it as I do when you download a file from the User Services area. This way, Pro builds are easily update-able without authentication, but the download URLs will only be valid for X minutes/hours. This will add some additional overhead on the server, but it shouldn't be much. There is some risk of Denial of Service attacks if the code isn't written to avoid them though..

In the short term, until I get a solution I like implemented, I may just start forcing users to login to the User Services area.

Jeremy Collake · February 10, 2009, 09:52:33 AM

Ok, I've changed the paths and am now requiring registered users to login to the web site. If this doesn't seem like too much of an inconvenience, perhaps I will just leave it this way. After all, the vast majority of users will have their login credentials stored in their browser and/or site cookie.

Zero · February 10, 2009, 10:15:12 AM

that would seem the best course of action.

And it's way less stressing than having to make all those changes to the source code of the app itself.

And I for one don't think this is an inconvenience (even though I'm not a paying customer, just a forum addict).

I don't think that the people who purchased the app mind opening another tab in their browser to download the next version.

chickenvv · March 04, 2009, 11:55:16 PM

Please just let process lasso do it free and it should still be. Commercial use is another thing.

chickenvv · March 04, 2009, 11:58:07 PM

Please just let process lasso do it free and it should still be. Commercial use is another thing.

Jeremy Collake · March 05, 2009, 10:55:20 AM

Quote from: chickenvv on March 04, 2009, 11:55:16 PM
Please just let process lasso do it free and it should still be. Commercial use is another thing.

Yes, I am attempting to keep Process Lasso free. The problem, as you'll see from any freeware/shareware author, is that few people actually end up paying for software unless they are forced to. The current paid customer/user ratio is probably 1:1000! I want to keep Process Lasso free as I possibly can, but at the same time, I must generate revenue. I am sure that if I move too far in the non-free direction, I'll actually see use and orders decrease in the long run, so there is also financial incentive to keep the product mostly free

.

If this concern comes from the latest beta showing a trial expiration mechanism (You must purchase in 7 days..). Don't worry, the next build won't say that, or expire. It will actually say, 'You've been using this software for X days...'. I rushed out yesterday's beta, after making some internal changes I thought were important enough to have 'out there' right away.