150 replies to this topic

[AndyF]

I could never understand how someone would dare to run something web based using illegal software , i meant its there for everyone to see! ... Its not like its someone who has installed say something twice at home (although yes that is wrong), its visible to the whole web. (I probably havent phrased that properly but hopefully peeps see what i mean, im not saying any piracy is right)

Its not as though there arent alternatives for peeps who cant / wont pay for IPB, there are good and legally free alternatives (phpbb / mybb / smf etc etc) to download and use free of charge.

Plus theres always the option of legally purchasing a 2nd hand licence for IPB too, they do turn up at sensible prices sometimes if a new price is a bit too much for someone.

Edited by yellow_spider, 16 March 2007 - 09:23 PM.

[maruf]

Its not as though there arent alternatives for peeps who cant / wont pay for IPB, there are good and legally free alternatives (phpbb / mybb / smf etc etc) to download and use free of charge.

True, phpbb is a good piece of software and its free. People who are not able to pay for IPB can easily download phpbb. But then again there is no full proof measure to stop piracy so IPS, like other software companies, has to live with it, at least for now.

[Akasha]

You and I feel differently about this, but it's my site and this is my policy.  Feel free to help everyone on your own site, I'm not going to do it here.

Bingo!!!

I've seen so many people over the years using "I can't afford it if I had to pay for it" as an excuse, and it's especially down right lame when it comes to something like a message board.  If you know enough to run a message board, you can't tell me you don't know about all the free boards out there.  Stealing is stealing, no matter how you look at it.

[joey_matthews]

I'm proud to say that I own two licences.

Those who use nulled versions aren't helping Invision growth and there are good enough free scripts out their so why steal? seriously kudos for asking those who are using them to leave.

[-Calypso-]

Let me say first that both my licenses are legal and paid for. I understand Michael's position on the subject of piracy and I also agree that users of illegal software should not have access to the same resources that those who pay do. However; I do not work for IPS so it's not really my business what someone else chooses to do. For myself I can elect NOT to provide support to users of illegal boards, but for the issue of me being an "IPS Cop", it's not gonna happen. Honestly, IPS doubled their prices and in doing so made sure that many more illegal boards would show up. The higher they make the price, the more piracy there will be. IPS doesn't pay me to report to them about illegal software and I surely didn't get any kind of discount or any offers of a discount if I did report piracy. I know morally it is the right thing to do but it's the same as watching someone not make a complete stop at a stop sign and calling the cops on them. Personally the way I see it, IPS doubled their prices, let them hire their own "IPS Cops". Once again, don't take it out of context, piracy is illegal and wrong. All I am saying is that it's not my job or responsibilty to report anything to anyone. I've read my license agreement, I didn't see any mention of that as a requirement.


Let me also state, I believe that if users of illegal IPB can not get the best mods or support for any mods then that would do more for stopping the piracy than someone running around reporting boards.

[Akasha]

I don't see anyone saying it's our duty to report piracy to Invision, the discussion was mainly about whether those who aren't legit deserve to get help or not.

BTW, the analogy between piracy and running a stop-sign makes no sense.  

Edited by Akasha, 17 March 2007 - 11:35 PM.

[Chelsove]

those who aren't legit deserve to get help or not.

Another aspect, is that it's often a waste of time helping those who haven't got a normal download from the IPS client area. Sometimes a lot of time goes into writing posts and helping people who's got dubious downloads with untrackable problems due to them having different files from the rest of us. Typically, it's impossible to suggest to them they should upload a fresh copy of a file which sounds dodgy, and they keep pushing for different solutions. It's really an abuse of the whole peer-to-peer support system and dishonest also on that level.

[-Calypso-]

Actually it does, our tax dollars goes to paying cops, thats what they do, they have a purpose. I am not a cop so I dont care if someone comes to a rolling stop or not just as I don't work for IPS so if someone is running an illegal copy of IPB then that is between them and IPS.

[Dee]

I agree with your position Mike 100% ... Look at it any way you want software piracy is stealing.

I won't make it my life's mission to hunt down anyone using pirated software and report them to the powers that be .. but should I come across someone who is using pirated software I wouldn't hesitate to report it.

Why?  Not because it is my duty, not because it is the right thing to do, not because anyone asked me to .. because I paid for mine and it ticks me off!

Edited by Dee, 18 March 2007 - 12:54 AM.

[Michael]

Yeah, I'm the same, I won't go out of my way to hunt down pirates, but I will report them when I find them.

[Neville]

I reported this site www.x6clan.co.uk to piracy.aT.invisionpower.com but they haven't replied for a week. So i complained to their host and they said to write it down? I'm sure some of the money we payed for the license(s) have gone to the so called 'anti-piracy team', though i'm not going to speak my mind about what Invision are doing with their piracy, with the prospect of getting banned from here like i did from Invision's site. They banned me from the Invision forums because they knew it was the truth, and nothing will hide it. "They don't give a dam".

[Michael]

The thing is, it's not true that they don't give a damn.  It's not as easy as just reporting a site and then it will be immediately taken down.  What IPS does is check their list of licensed customers and see if the board is associated with one of their sold licenses.  If it is not, they will contact the board owner and ask them to take the site down.  If they don't, then IPS will contact their host.  If the host does nothing (and there are a TON of hosts out there that don't care) then IPS can either try to keep pestering them, forget about it, or invest thousands of dollars in legal fees to get it forceably shut down.  Is it really worth it in all cases to invest this time and money to get one site shut down?  They would be paying out the cost of several license purchases just to stop one board.

[Neville]

A week? I haven't even got a response telling me to hold on! It's just like i'm a complete non-entity.

[Michael]

They never respond back to the person who reported it.  What should they tell you if they were going to respond back to you?

[Dee]

Agreed Mike .. the best IPS can hope for is that when the host is contacted they have enough ethics to pull the site down.

[cinek]

do they even do anything when we report these sites?

I reported one site that distributes IPB (even added a screen shot)

nothing has been done about it...... so...well I don't see any point in reporting these sites

[Dee]

How do we know they aren't doing anything?  Just because the site is still up doesn't mean IPS hasn't tried to do something .. It could mean that the host who is hosting the site couldn't care less that their client is using pirated software ...

[Michael]

I just posted earlier today what the process involves.  I can't remember exactly where I saw this, but someone at IPS has said this was their procedure.

[cinek]

just looked at the process  and well the site I posted really distributes illegal copies of IPB, IPGallery, IPBBlog as well as skins, paid mods etc

Edited by cinek, 22 March 2007 - 07:40 AM.

[joey_matthews]

They never respond back to the person who reported it.  What should they tell you if they were going to respond back to you?

I reported one week ago, because a mod maker on another site accused me of using one after I asked for him for help regarding his mod. (funnily enough, after he did this I went over to his community which I know didn't have the "lo-fi version" and checked that to find it had a line inside which mentioned "nulled by".

IPB replied two days after I sent. (If I recall correctly) pretty short message but least they know about it.

I know it's a long process because this mod maker still acts all mighty.
~Joey

P.s I'm happy to point out that I'm a member of ipbeyond (which the mod guy isn't) for those who read this and assume the above person was correct calling me this.

Edit..
Name & Shame =D < the link. ips check confirms it, unless i'm mistaking something.

Edited by joey_matthews, 26 March 2007 - 02:40 AM.