Is this true?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Mad Dog
    New Member
    • Sep 2001
    • 8

    Is this true?

    Someone told me that VB has a call home feature installed. So, if someone installs it that does not have a license the software "calls" VB.

    Any truth to that? I'm just curious.
  • Martin
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2000
    • 4783
    • 3.5.x

    #2
    can I ask why this is important to you? If there were such a feature, and it didn't send any personal information about you, how is it a violation of privacy?
    Webmaster:
    @forumz

    Comment

    • Mad Dog
      New Member
      • Sep 2001
      • 8

      #3
      How would you like it everytime you logged onto the internet Microsoft had a "call home" feature built in and checked to make sure that all of your Microsoft programs were properly registered?

      Would that seem like a violation of privacy to you?

      Comment

      • Martin
        Senior Member
        • Apr 2000
        • 4783
        • 3.5.x

        #4
        Have you looked at the M$ XP line? You have to actively register it online for it to work beyond (I think) 20 times.

        The "update" routines built into software such as RealPLayer, Nutscrape, etc, send hard info on you every time you log onto the internet.

        If people weren't pirating (STEALING) software, such measures wouldn't be needed. The sad fact is, there are a lot of people out there who would rather steal things than pay the person who created them a fair price for doing the work.

        I don't think it's a violation of privacy if no hard info is being sent about you (ie: browsing habits, online purchases, etc).

        Don't you think that people have a right to protect their intellectual properties? Do you think it's a violation of the law to steal other peoples' work?

        I don't like such things, but I understand that sometimes you have to put up with extra crap because there are dishonest people out there
        Webmaster:
        @forumz

        Comment

        • ukliam
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2000
          • 171

          #5
          they do, and no it does not... becaure all the software on my PC is legit. As is my copy of vB..... and so it should be on yours if it is not... I hope you get what is coming to you

          Comment

          • Mad Dog
            New Member
            • Sep 2001
            • 8

            #6
            Originally posted by ukliam
            they do, and no it does not... becaure all the software on my PC is legit. As is my copy of vB..... and so it should be on yours if it is not... I hope you get what is coming to you
            I do not use VB. I was just looking into bbs's and upon talking to people about VB, it was mentioned, nothing more.

            You people are very cynical to imply that I, and so many other people are thieves.

            I just don't like when I feel that my privacy is being violated, and that was how I saw this VB "feature". I do not know of any other board that does this, so I just wanted to find out if it was true or not. But it seems like no one is going to answer that.

            Comment

            • ukliam
              Senior Member
              • Apr 2000
              • 171

              #7
              I didn't say you were.....

              and no, it is not a feature... wish it was though

              Comment

              • Martin
                Senior Member
                • Apr 2000
                • 4783
                • 3.5.x

                #8
                Originally posted by Mad Dog
                You people are very cynical to imply that I, and so many other people are thieves.
                At last count, about half the vBulletins out there were pirated.

                A call home routine at least gives the developers some recourse in shutting down the illegal boards by contacting their hosting providers and making them aware of the situation.

                The only information passed to JelSoft is the version, license number and location of the board. If a person's board islegitimate, JelSoft is not getting any more information than the license agreement requires anyway, so they have nothing to worry about. There is no violation of privacy whatsoever.
                Webmaster:
                @forumz

                Comment

                • Mad Dog
                  New Member
                  • Sep 2001
                  • 8

                  #9
                  Fine.

                  This little anti-piracy feature in the code is enough to make me NOT want to purchase it.

                  Maybe I will go with IkonBoard version3, or phpBB version 2, they are both FREE and equivelant to VB in their GUI's, functionality and features.

                  Comment

                  • Steve Machol
                    Former Customer Support Manager
                    • Jul 2000
                    • 154488

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Mad Dog
                    Maybe I will go with IkonBoard version3, or phpBB version 2, they are both FREE and equivelant to VB in their GUI's, functionality and features.
                    I'm confused. If you really believed that, then why would you consider vB anyway.?
                    Steve Machol, former vBulletin Customer Support Manager (and NOT retired!)
                    Change CKEditor Colors to Match Style (for 4.1.4 and above)

                    Steve Machol Photography


                    Mankind is the only creature smart enough to know its own history, and dumb enough to ignore it.


                    Comment

                    • Mr. X
                      Senior Member
                      • May 2001
                      • 1112
                      • 2.3.0

                      #11
                      Fine.

                      This little anti-piracy feature in the code is enough to make me NOT want to purchase it.

                      Maybe I will go with IkonBoard version3, or phpBB version 2, they are both FREE and equivelant to VB in their GUI's, functionality and features.
                      Sounds to me that you werent gonna buy in the first place. Im willing to bet that someone told you about this, and now your worried if you pirate it we can catch you, so you decided not to do it. If thats the case and Im sure it is, then this feature has worked out perfect. If you purchase the board you have absolutely nothing to worry about. If you get so worried about it, then obviously you had other plans other than getting a legit version.

                      Oh well, have fun with IB3...
                      website: joe.pcfx.cc
                      forums: pcfx.cc
                      gallery: here

                      Comment

                      • Jake Bunce
                        Senior Member
                        • Dec 2000
                        • 46598
                        • 3.6.x

                        #12
                        a call home feature is a great way to keep piracy in check.

                        although, i must admit that i have used my copy of vbulletin to install on other servers without a license. i didn't 'pirate' it though (in the sense that matters). i only do it for testing hacks in an isolated environment or demonstrating to the powers that be to see if they want to use vbulletin. i convinced my LAN group to use vbulletin on their web site this way. they wouldn't committ for a couple months so finally i got the SSH login, installed and visually customized vb for the site's theme and sent the link to the "$ guy". he said "awesome!". i said "$160 if ya want to keep it". he said "ummm, ok!".

                        Comment

                        • MattR
                          Senior Member
                          • Jun 2000
                          • 1047

                          #13
                          For me, the infuriating issue is your 'why should you care' response. It's my right to know that the software is going to make a connection from *my* server to Jelsofts. If someone asks, you say "Yes, yes it does". You list it in the fine print somewhere but for heaven's sake don't try and pull that line of BS "Why should you care".

                          There is such a feature. It is a part of the code. Tell people if they ask. It's not hard to find and / or remove but it is my right to know SOMEWHERE that this is doing that. Dig down deep in license agreements for Real Player, etc. and it will say 'We will, every time you run this application, send X Y and Z to our servers and here is what we do with it…'. I expect no less from vBulletin. Say 'We will call our servers with your license number and will record your IP address and verify that it jives with our records. Then it is destroyed'. That's it. Don't try and be all cloak-and-dagger about it.

                          When you open up a port from MY box using MY internet connection I sure as hell want to know about it. And the thing is, it will record my PERSONAL IP address, not the servers. I don’t know what YOU use to browse the web with, but some of us have relatively static IP addresses. I don’t like the idea of my and other Admins / Moderator’s IPs being tracked behind my back and it IS your obligation to say WHAT your privacy policy is. All major sites say ‘we will record your IP, date and time, etc. for our records etc.’

                          What’s ‘one more’ thing people use to invade my privacy. Would you like your car uploading your VIN number and everywhere you went that day to a local database to make sure that you’re not in a stolen car? That it is stored somewhere that you visited Bob’s Pr0n-o-rama for 45 minutes? If my car did that I would a) not buy it or b) disable it. I’m a law-abiding citizen and I don’t need someone or some thing to keep ‘proving’ that I am honest.

                          Certainly this is a minor ‘privacy invasion’ (because it looks like it is returning MY IP address and not the server’s) but it is your OBLIGATION as a reputable business to not **** with me and go ‘It might; so what!’
                          Matt
                          Sybase DBA / PHP fanatic
                          Sybase v. MySQL v. Oracle | Why I don't like MySQL | Download Sybase TODAY! | Visit DBForums.com!

                          Comment

                          • Jake Bunce
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2000
                            • 46598
                            • 3.6.x

                            #14
                            there is a call back feature in vb? i just want to hear it from a vb peep. i'm indifferent about it, just wondering.

                            Comment

                            • MattR
                              Senior Member
                              • Jun 2000
                              • 1047

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Jakeman
                              there is a call back feature in vb? i just want to hear it from a vb peep. i'm indifferent about it, just wondering.
                              This is what is in the License Agreement:

                              http://vbulletin.com/license.html
                              From time to time, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited may inspect your registration integrity. This will be done without collecting any information whatsoever about yourself, your server or your users. The only information verified will be your license number and the domain on which the software is run. Should we discover illogical discrepancies in the software usage, be aware that you may lose your license and may face legal actions for Software Piracy.
                              This is misleading. The 'call back' feature is NOT initiated by Jelsoft but in fact initiated by MY web browser. It SHOULD read:
                              "Every time you perform XYZ this data will be collected: A B C. We will run reports to verify your data is legit, etc."
                              Last edited by MattR; Sat 8 Sep '01, 12:05am.
                              Matt
                              Sybase DBA / PHP fanatic
                              Sybase v. MySQL v. Oracle | Why I don't like MySQL | Download Sybase TODAY! | Visit DBForums.com!

                              Comment

                              widgetinstance 262 (Related Topics) skipped due to lack of content & hide_module_if_empty option.
                              Working...