I have not seen anyone mention this article http://www.emedialive.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=8241 about 321 Studios "remotely disabling" the installed software of an expected pirate. I wondered if I was the only one troubled by this? Personally, I do not want OR NEED a Big Brother solution and certainly do not want to grant outsiders permission to just remotely do anything they want to my software installations. I feel that 321 Studios has taken too many unnecessary actions to prevent piracy and has gone to extremes with it. No company should be held responsible for the actions of its customers and I personally feel 321 studios should concentrate on making good software and let society deal with the scumbag pirates. I only used the trial download of X-copy platinum but I got the strange and funny feeling that it attempted to "call home" every time I started the program up and now I read this article, I do not get the warm fuzzies about this company nor its products. That feeling, along with the article, and all of the watermarks, splash screens etc that xcopy adds to the product just ruins the experience I had with an otherwise great piece of software. Now, I do not have anything to hide, but I personally do not think software companies have the right to dictate "how" a person uses his or her copy of a software....as long as its legally purchased etc. If this person WAS INDEED involved in piracy then 1) YES he NEEDED to be apprehended as I feel this is wrong and 2) feel that 321 Studios has the right as well as Hollywood to shut this person down, but through the courts and the legal system, NOT by building in back doors and remote access to systems belonging to its customers. Plus, I read nowhere on 321 Studio's site that this functionality is even built into the software. Now, innocent people all across this globe are purchasing software without the knowledge that 321 studios has remote access to its products and that makes the hairs stand up on my arms as I scream. Simply put, the software buying public is being duped by this companies policies which obviously had nothing to do with privacy issues. This is something that should be stated in extremely large letters and branded across every page of its corporate website so customers know what they are getting themselves into and realize that this company has the ability to reach into there personal computer and turn off a legally purchased product at the whim of its creator.
The only way they could remotely shut down the software is if A. the user did not have a firewall and allowed their computer to be hacked. B. they were connected to the net. So- don't connect to the net and you won't have a problem.
First, I am surprised they can do this. Haven't they heard of innocent until proven guilty. They are shutting down an "alleged" pirate. Does this mean that if he is not convicted in court he can turn around and sue 321studios for unspecified damages. Also, his copy is a legitimate copy and not a pirated copy. I thought the copy that you bought is your copy which means they are tampering with your personnal property. After buying DVD X COPY PLATINUM and not being able to get it to work, I would not recommend it to anybody.
PA104inf, actually that is a statement which represents a conundrum of the software industry. You do not ever "own" software. It is always the property of the makers and is only "licensed" to you for the price specified period. However, that being said, the software makers do not have the the right morally, legally, OR ethically to be able to use a back door into your system to "turn off" their product.
I agree with you about who owns the software, but there is still a legal, ethical and moral issue whether 321studios can access your computer and shut off there program. I believe the term might be called hacking into your computer which is illegal. Also, if while shutting off their program they damage other pieces of software can you sue them. I think they are treading on soft ground with these actions. I think if the person is convicted of this crime "DVD X COPY" will be the least of his problems so they don't need to take any actions. These actions are to please the court. Also, if they can get into your computer through this back door, other employees who work for 321studios might be able to use this program to access your computer illegally.
From my 321Studios "Moore News:" I've taken some flack from subscribers to the Digital Lifestyle newsletter for promoting DVD X Copy as a DVD backup solution. Some people claim DVD X Copy is nothing more than a tool for content pirates. Others prefer to use free tools, like dvdshrink, which are specifically designed to circumvent copy protections in DVDs. I personally find DVD X Copy to be a great solution for making backup DVDs designed to protect the originals, while still maintaining the intended copy protections. 321 Studios, creators of DVD X Copy, go out of their way to ensure software is used for its intended purpose. Unlike the freebies, which encourage Macrovision defeating and other obvious attempts to circumvent the content creators right to protect material, 321 Studios is very serious about deterring pirates from using their software. DVD X Copy watermarks every DVD created, making it traceable back to the license code associated with the software. Making copies of DVD backups is prevented using special encryption. Use of the software is limited through license verification. Proof of piracy leading to the arrest and conviction of offenders is rewarded with $10,000 cash. Is the system working? While I'm sure a small percentage of users will find creative ways to abuse DVD X Copy, 321 Studios takes piracy accusations seriously. Back in November, Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox brought a charge against 321 relating to an Illinois man's alleged abuse of DVD X Copy. From what I understand, DVD copies were being sold, watermarked with the individual's DVD X Copy license. Within moments of being presented with the allegation, the individual's license code was cancelled, effectively preventing him from further abuses. Should you be scared 321 Studios might turn your license off at anytime? I don't think so. If you are using DVD X Copy for its intended purpose, movie studios should have no reason to know what you did or did not backup. While I'm not suggesting there aren't legitimate users making legitimate backups with less restrictive tools; DVD X Copy provides a clear path for staying within the bounds. As the court case surrounding the software's future is now under way, let's hope the courts understand we users want to protect our substantial investment in media and side with the Ability to continue making backups. Jake Ludington http://www.jakeludington.com/archives/000047.html
As a DVD X Copy customer, I can see it from both sides a bit. However, I believe, in the end, the concerns of 321 Studios software spying on you, phoning home, etc. will not be a concern simply because their software is already being surplanted by better tools. 321 Studios pretty much hasn't updated their stuff in a while, concentrating instead of releasing new things while leaving long standing bugs like the 321 Studios copyright logo freezing some players. And, Platinum simply isn't ready for prime time, still. Thus, I believe many, like myself, will move on to other software, like Nero Recode, DVD Shrink, CloneDVD and the like. Offering many new features that should have been implemented before in DVD X Copy. While DXC does do some things I like better (Like removing an unwanted Title instead of replacing it with a color or picture.) it seems that 321 Studios will not be able to survive the evolution of the market they started. In 2002, DXC was great, because there was little else. Now, with other choices that don't spy on you... well, which would you choose? A single text file is what 321 Studios considers "encryption?"
With regards to the ability of 321 studios to remotely turn off their software. Should a legitimate owner worry that if 321 looses in court, the company could than be ordered to turn off every registered version?would legal owners be entitled to a refund.
Yeah, I once registered this concern early on on the 321 boards. Since all the media owners keep suing 321 in an attempt to shut them down, you can believe that if they succeed, they want not ONLY to have 321 Studios shut down the registration process, but to remotely shut down all activated copies. PLUS, you can bet they'll take the serial #'s, names, addresses, blood types etc. of all registered users and hunt them down like dogs. After all, the RIAA has proven it can buy the law into forcing your ISP to hand over your info, so, it would be easy to force 321 Studios to do the same.
Everytime you turn X copy on, it goes out to the net to ah, look for updates. This being one of them. If you try to intall an illeagle copy of X copy on your computor, I am told that 321 will shut down also.
After buying X Copy and getting Xpress free w/ free updates to Gold and Platinum I read folks discussing this topic in the DVDXCOPY forums. I'm on dial-up. Never did Xcopy, Xpress, Gold or Platinum offer to dial-out, access the internet or make any sort of offer to reach out to 321Studios all the times I used their programs. The only way I can see 321Studios having the ability to 'remotely disable' any software would be to pull your name and info out of the "legit users" database so you couldn't get further updates. 321Studios is far from magic. I'd like to see the way they get through routers and firewalls and AV activity monitoring software to 'switch me off' ...especially here with me... But I'm a DVD Shrink convert, the 321studios programs are on my HD and on CD. Wish they allowed users to sell and transfer ID numbers of their software, legally. RWG
diverj Id be dam== I will be looking at this and see what come up I will all so check with my son-inlaw to see if it will hart me and to chack on my firewall. Software companies don't have the right to dictate "how" a person uses his or her copy of a software thy just take it= You and I pay $50 to $300 and thy say how and if it will work we now aft. to reg it and thy then know all about you. just like this Anti-virus industry: white knight or black hat? Thy maybe the ones that is making all the virus ==== MONEY+++MONEY====thats all it is http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/35579.html this functionality is built into all the software that you and I buy now So innocent people all across this globe are purchasing software without the knowledge that it is in it and that allso go's for the movies and songs you buy that is why you have a hard time copying them. It may all so be a part in your motherboards on new PCs _ _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Errare est humanum To err is human. Recedite, plebes! Gero rem imperialem. Stand aside, little people! I'm here on official business Cave ne ante ullas catapultas ambules If I were you, I wouldn't walk in front of any catapults[/small]
