How to find out if a site uses unlicensed VB?

[hext0r]

Are there any visual differences which may tell if a site uses licensed or non-licensed VB? Are there any cases when some e.g. non-profit or educational organizations may obtain a free copy of VB? Thanks

[Floris]

No sorry, there are no real obvious ways to check if a site is licensed or not (for non staff), just submit the site here: http://www.vBulletin.com/piracy.php

No, we don't offer discounts or free licenses to non-profit or charity web sites.

[Caddyman]

No, we don't offer discounts or free licenses to non-profit or charity web sites.

I could of swore i have seen a non-profit get a license before.....

[Onimua]

I could of swore i have seen a non-profit get a license before.....
Perhaps be case they purchased one? ;)

[seangworld]

i think a great idea for us/vb would be to make it obvious someone has an illegal copy of the software. there are more license owners than there are staff, and we're floating around and covering the net more than the vb staff so in my mind it would just make sense.

[Zachery]

If you think a site is unlicensed submit it, if the site does not have a license we will take action, if they do nothing to do.

[seangworld]

ya, but all we're doing is assuming. why waste our time and yours if we're submitting links that are actually legit?

would it be safe to say that the vb's out there that are not at the current versions are stolen? no, because that just means their dues aren't current and they decided not to keep their software uptodate. so what else do we have?

im guessing you guys already get a lot of reports of legit sites and i'd rather you guys spent more time on producing software than checking on sites that are actually legit. know what im saying?

[Floris]

You won't waste your time if you decide to not go and check for it or not go and submit urls. You are not wasting our time either, we have an automated system that filters licensed/unlicensed before our staff processes the unlicensed links.

If you run into a site it's a few seconds to type the piracy.php submit url and enter the suspected url and press submit.

The guys and girls from our company who handle the suspected piracy links aren't the ones running the company or developing the software, so no delays to producing software.

[seangworld]

oh ok. i never knew much of it, i thought someone actually had to do it manually and stuff.

[Chazel]

As Floris stated, they filter out most of the reports by scanning their databases to see if the URL is linked to a licensed account. If not, they either contact the person, or they direct link to a file which will usually say "Nulled by _______". I remember someone taught me how to do it, but I forgot. :p

I believe a staff member stated somewhere else that even if you are running a nulled license if your domain is linked to your paying account they won't contact you...

[Floris]

As Floris stated, they filter out most of the reports by scanning their databases to see if the URL is linked to a licensed account. If not, they either contact the person, or they direct link to a file which will usually say "Nulled by _______". I remember someone taught me how to do it, but I forgot. :p

I believe a staff member stated somewhere else that even if you are running a nulled license if your domain is linked to your paying account they won't contact you...
Maybe some staff might be a bit more forgiving, but I've contacted customers asking them to stop using the nulled files, and replace them with their licensed files.

[hext0r]

i think a great idea for us/vb would be to make it obvious someone has an illegal copy of the software. there are more license owners than there are staff, and we're floating around and covering the net more than the vb staff so in my mind it would just make sense.

I think it is not reasonable for VB stuff to disclose the detection methods. In this ways crackers will get this info too and target this method to mask an unlicensed version as licensed. Thus the method will quickly become useless.

[steven s]

Sorry for going OT, but. . .

I'm not advocating illegal copies of software.
I've even submitted a url or two in the past.

I do find it hard to believe that no one here does not have an unlicensed piece of software or music file on their drive.

If people were so vigilant in reporting illegal copies to M$, I bet Office would be $69.99 a copy.

[Floris]

Sorry for going OT, but. . .

I'm not advocating illegal copies of software.
I've even submitted a url or two in the past.

I do find it hard to believe that no one here does not have an unlicensed piece of software or music file on their drive.

If people were so vigilant in reporting illegal copies to M$, I bet Office would be $69.99 a copy.
Good point, we should increase the value of vB! :)

[steven s]

Good point, we should increase the value of vB! :)
I think vB is already a steal for the money.

[Freesteyelz]

I'm not advocating illegal copies of software...

I do find it hard to believe that no one here does not have an unlicensed piece of software or music file on their drive.



Believe what you will but there are people who do things strictly legal. I can verify at least one person. ;)

To advocate is to follow the same rules you're advocating for. If not, what credibility do you have?

[Kimmi]

Sorry for going OT, but. . .

I'm not advocating illegal copies of software.
I've even submitted a url or two in the past.

I do find it hard to believe that no one here does not have an unlicensed piece of software or music file on their drive.

If people were so vigilant in reporting illegal copies to M$, I bet Office would be $69.99 a copy.


not i..... i paid for my vb and for my music well i pay for that too becuz i use napster..

[Floris]

This topic has been exhausted and answered.