CD-Anti Piracy Program

[Conflow]

To:- Ken,Steve,Al,Ronnie,Maureen,Lin,LumenLux,dadou, and all interested.

Subject:- Anti-Piracy CD Program.

Win Systems:- XP and 2000 versions only

This thread has been running for some time, and to Ronnie-sorry I don't appear to have your EMail, anyway the following is a direct answer as to what program works to protect your CDs. There are other's which do something similar,but the following is virtually crackproof.

'CD-Lock' available from www.pc-magic.com and from www.snapfiles.com

What it does

1)

It encrypts the entire contents of a PTE.Show Folder by that is meant, it encrypts the PTE.Exe and all Images and Music and all other support Files such as:- PDF's, Eula's and Instructions. It will even 'scramble' the Folder Name and File Names using 128 bit Encryption Technology.

2)

It prepares the 'Encrypted Folder Contents' for burning to your CD. It does not harm the origional Folder but makes an encrypted copy of it ready for 'burning' to CD.

3)

The recipient of the CD see's only Encrypted Code -nothing more- until he "Inputs" a Pin Number (supplied by the Author) there after the entire PTE.Exe is de-scrambled and ready for immediate use.

4)

As soon as the 'User' exits the Program it reverts to its Encrypted Format. This is ideal as one has to leave the PTE.Exe to start-up the 'Burner Software' to make a copy.

5)

This Encrypt Program is NEVER copied to the Origional-CD nor to a Copy-CD. The Copies simply demand a 'Pin Number or Password' to activate the 'DeCrypt Program' which is on the CD together with all the Encrypted Files.Deliberate 'tampering' with these files makes the CD-Copy unusable.

There is a 20 Day Trial - The Program costs $20 and it Works on XP and 2000 only.

(No Operational Warrantee nor Guarantee is implied by or within this Posting).

IMPORTANT NOTE:- Please understand that this Program is not to be confused with Igors 'New Development' of a PTE.Exe Dis-Assembler which recovers the contents of a PTE.Exe.

CD-Lock is for those who wish to prevent Photo-Materials Piracy.

Brian.Conflow.

[JRR]

Brian:

This looks good for people worrying about their shows being copied.

One question though, many shows do not run well from CD drives (depending on the show and/or the computer it is being run on) I assume there is something that stops the file from being transferred to the HD, or does it get transferred with all the encryption?

(I plead guilty to not having gone to the website yet, just musing based on your notes.)

thx

[Ronniebootwest]

Brian,

On the face of it your post about the software called 'CD Lock' seems to be fine. I downloaded the trial version and tried it out - it does everything it says on the tin but it is not an effective 'CD copy protection' program, just a minor inconvenience to users.

My 2 main observations are these:-

1. Using this program you can make a copy CD that has been 'locked' i.e. you will need access to a password (created by the person making the copy). When the copy is passed on to an end user this password is provided by the author. The end user can then make another copy (or copies) of the CD and pass it on to the next end user (together with the passward). This just defeats the object.

2. Another way around the 'Lock' is to first 'unlock it' with the password - this will give the user access to the files on the disk. All you now need to do is burn a new CD using just the .exe file of the show.

I think that the kind of protection that is needed, is the old fashioned method where the master CD is encrypted in such a way that it simply CANNOT BE COPIED AT ALL

Ron West

[Barry Beckham]

I am not entirely sure if I can find the diplomatic words to say what came into my mind as I read this thread, so I will just say it.

Many of the slide shows I have seen will not be stolen by anyone because they are not good enough, who on earth would want to steal a slide show and for what purpose?

Perhaps it is me being naive, but I don't concern myself with these worries. If it were possible to stop a CD being copied, wouldn't Adobe us it and all the other software manufacturers that gets copied regulalry.

Barry

[Ken Cox]

Barry

i didnt have the "Gonads" to make your statement

see

http://www.cdrfaq.org/

http://www.cdrfaq.org/faq02.html#S2-4

Andy McFadden's

CD-Recordable FAQ

Andy is a sort of GUru for cd recording

another is

Mike Richter's CDR Primer

http://www.mrichter.com/

ken

[Conflow]

CD-Anti Piracy Program To answer some of the points raised,viz:-

Barry

Yes Barry,you are quite correct,the vast majority of Shows are quite amateurish~but then there are those which are absolutely excellent. The 'thread' started arising from a genuine concern from some of our 'Professional Photographer Members' who make a Client Presentation then to find that certain Clients and Hi-Schools & Universities Students are copying and distributing the work without paying for the copies.Some would say "That is sour Grapes" ~but if you go to a Photo Shop you have to pay for Copy Prints~ after all the guy has got to make a living !

Ronnie

I'm afraid it's bad News ~ The personal 'Copyproof CD' does not exist, for the reason that when you burn a CD, you are burning a 'Copy of your Program' from your Hard Drive ~ so if you can't copy it, you can't burn it.

Commercial CD are not 'burnt to disc' ~ They are 'Photo Imaged' on to the blank CD complete with 'Anti-Copy Tags' (Manufacturer choice). This photo-imaging process is rather unique in that it 'modulates' the photo-sensitive dyes on the CD which is picked up by the Laser Diode within your CD-R/RW Drive and this of course is your Program.

The Anti-Piracy Program

The AP.Program has a few things going for it,viz:-

a) For those who can't make an 'Autorun CD' it prepares all the Files necessary to do so. All they have to do is drag those Files into the 'Burner Software' and hit the 'Burn Button.

For the Pro-Photographers it establishes a 'status-quo' in that the User Recipient knows the Program Files are Encrypted and also know that a Password is required. Subsequently after that if the Files are "copied & distributed" then quite clearly that person is breaking International Copyright Law and quite honestly hasn't got a leg to stand on. The reason being that the materials are traceable and encryptionation can be proved ~ provided in the 1st instance that the Author has included a EULA on to the origional CD. In Copyright Law there is absolutely no defense against this and no-way out of it !

c) Server Problems

Because the Files are bundled and 128 bit Encrypted, most Servers recognise this as a legitimate Encryptionation Process and permit transmission & reception of such.

Brian.Conflow.

[alrobin]

Thanks, Brian, for a well-crafted and informational summary of this sensitive and oft-discussed topic.

I believe that with the new technological capabilities, we are in the midst of radically revising the whole economic model associated with the distribution of "proprietary" material, and the associated issues of copyright and "piracy".

[Ronniebootwest]

Thankyou Brian, your explanation is worthy of note - very informative.

Barry! I am surprised with your attitude toward copying CD's! It is not just Slide Shows that get copied, CD tutorials get copied too! I agree that some slide shows are not worth copying but many are. Your own work is highly desireable and I have no doubt that it has been copied many many times. Surely you would like to prevent this from happening!

Ron

[Ronniebootwest]

I have now been playing with this software for a few days (CD-Lock) and I am even more convinced that it is really not any good. I have dicovered that, in addition to my earlier observations, if you use Start > My computer and then right click to copy the CD contents to the desktop (or any other folder) the .exe of your slide show is then available to run or to simply copy into a folder of your choice. This process completely by-passes the need to enter a password to unlock the contents of the CD.

Not much use at all!

Has anyone else had any experience with this software???

Ron West

[Barry Beckham]

Ronnie

I suppose it is one of those things that I know I cannot stop so I don't fret too much about the situation.

I been to clubs who have bought a complerte set of my CD's for members use. I have often thought if that was entirely right and if so the price should reflect the fact that perhaps hundreds of people may have access to it.

In an ideal world I would love there to be a way to lock my CD once it is written so no copies could be made. Perhaps if I could find that solution I could retire earlier and then make more tutorials.

Having said all that I do think many amateurs get far too wrapped up in this issue.

Barry

[Ken Cox]

for another view on the subject see

Note to the Entertainment Industry: Piracy is Good for You

http://lists.topica.com/lists/deirdre_stra...sort=d&start=99

Deirdre was one of the original Adaptec technical writers - her resume here

http://www.straughan.com/whatido/index.html

ken

[alrobin]

Ken,

I couldn't agree more with Dierdre's views on this. And this is especially true of music used for AV shows since not many would go to the trouble of "grabbing" the music from a slideshow to play on their home audio equipment - they would be more inclined to go out and buy the CD as the music on the AV is likely "distorted" somewhat to suit the theme or length of the show.

I suspect that with music used for AV's the economics are by far in favour of the music industry.