[James Bradford]

beware, i read this little headline on http://www.razorart.com/

"Homing Device Found In Photoshop 6 and 7
It was announced today by Adobe, Inc. that the upgrade to Photoshop 6.1 and Photoshop 7 added a special devices that 'phones home' the registration number and collected computer data to create a unique # (similar to what is found in Windows XP).
Obviously, this was a move to collect a list of its pirated software. Adobe has been compiling the list since the release of their free 6.1 upgrade last July. CNN reports that the list has been sent to the FBI, more here:
Adobe Systems, Inc, makers of the popular computer graphics program Photoshop, announced on Friday that they have compiled and submitted a list of more than 25,000 Internet Protocol (IP) addresses with duplicate serial numbers for versions six and seven of their product. A spokesman from Adobe says "We installed what is called a 'callback' on Photoshop to try and curb piracy. It essentially sends installation information to our servers upon first use." The FBI plans to work with national and local Internet Service Providers (ISP) to find and convict those responsible.
The software is reported to only phone home once, during your idle period. It is speculated that users running UD Device's cancer reasearch program will not be succeptable to the phoning home, because that takes up idle times. Then again, if you're working towards a cure for cancer, you deserve to warez a program.

Beware pirates - Adobe doesn't appear to be playing around anymore."

[Impaler]

Could this truly be the death of the lens flare?

[BloodStone]

Well, that's unfortunate!
I have purchased all of my Adobe products, however, I've lost the CD cases to a few of them. (I really wish they'd write the serial numbers directly onto the CDs). The same goes for most of my games. So, if I get convicted for anything, I'm pitching a big fit.

[Drift Kid Runner]

The gaming industry lost 60 billion dollars in murchandise last year

Mike

[elam]

Firewall, dude.

[ceenda]

elam's right. You should, in theory, be able to determine what information is being sent from which packages across a network if you have correctly installed a firewall.

[Impaler]

Says who, drift kid runner? I seriously doubt there's 60 billion dollars worth of merchandise to be stolen.

[glody]

lol...all the little piraters we have on the site are shitting their pants eh?? lol...

however...if they adapt that sort of thing into their software, dont they have to inform the consumer/pirater? im prolly wrong but what i thought was if they use a program that finds usage stats or information to make a profile...they have to inform us about it? is it in the legal notice that comes with the program? im not seeing anything like that..nor have i seen anyhting like this on cnn.....eh im not worried i bought mine...unfortunately... hehe gotta love student discounts

[ June 02, 2002: Message edited by: glody ]

[[666]Flat]

HOAX AHOY

[Impaler]

I don't know about these privacy issues. I remember Microsoft used to scan your hard drive for illicit software until they were told that it's a violation of the Fifth amendment. There may be some domain issues that Adobe could use to their advantage, like, license issues or something.

However, as is, they cannot primarily collect information off of a user's hard drive unless they willingly submit it. That's invasion of privacy, and it's illegal.

It seems to me that 25,000 is awfully diminuitive, which tells me that these people are more likely warez'ers who are so stupid that they a) registered with Adobe, or b) sent in for the cheaper upgrade.

Bottom line, stop drinking on Saturday nights and save your money if you really want something. These corporations don't make millions by giving stuff away for free.

[ June 02, 2002: Message edited by: Impaler ]

[[Shizo]]

1. i prefer 5.0 over 6 and 7 :D
2. it was already hacked, as was XP
3. there arent thousands, there are millions of people that have pirated Adobe products
[edit]
4. and i don't think that software pirating is good, Mr. FBI agent!

[ June 02, 2002: Message edited by: [Shizo] ]

[elam]

If sending information off your computer is illegal, then don't cookies violate that principle?

There's a whole lot of shady things that go on when you surf and buy software nowadays, so who knows.

And then there was the whole Kazaa issue with Brilliant(or Dumbass) software, that they politely informed us had been installed without Kazaa users knowlege.

Adobe had a Russian programmer arrested last year, under the auspices of the DMCA, at a computer conference because he wrote a program that cracked Adobe's ebook protection, although he wrote the program in Russia, where it is legal to do such things.

They then tried to backpetal and have the charges dropped, but the government is pursuing the case anyway.

So, it wouldn't suprise me.

[Chapel]

Not that I support piracy.. especially since I have to own all legal copies of everything for my business, but this sounds like a definite hoax to me.

For starters.. "It essentially sends installation information to our servers upon first use." .. what if your not connected to the net? Just cause you have photoshop doesn't mean you use the pc to access the internet. Second.. like someone already mentioned you have firewalls. It's all BS to scare the less computer literate people getting copies of programs from their friends.

[Nilwort]

quote

Quote:

They then tried to backpetal and have the charges dropped, but the government is pursuing the case anyway.

It's all a conspiracy!, the US governemnt using ECHELON to conduct commercial espionage in favor of american companies...

[Impaler]

Cookies are legal because a) you willingly go to a website, knowing that you will be sent cookies which send information about you b) you can stop cookies from being downloaded onto your computer, plus you can delete them once they're there.

Remember the stink over the Pentium 3 and how it could send a PIN to websites as a tracking device?

[BloodStone]

If this were true, I think Adobe would rather crack down on businesses than individuals. They would make more money that way, and would prevent companies from making money off of software they didn't purchase.

[pixelsoldier]

Err... wouldn't an extremely easy solution to this be to not use Photoshop while connected to the net?

[Vesuvius]

if it's a hoax, more people have bought into it... http://www.macinstein.com/pressrelease.cfm?ID=936

[Snorkles]

I can�t be convicted- I�m 16. Most pirates are too young to bee convicted.

[toiletPhish]

adobe 6.1? i thought it was adobe 6.0.1!
which is it?

[Giant Hamster]

Sex in the bathtub.

[Basse_Ex]

Funnily enough, there's not a single industry where piracy is more common than in the software industry.

[Awetopsy]

quote:

---

from vesuivius' link
Adobe has a directory that has html files and a dll (Dynamic Link Library). The compiled code in the dll is acting as an executable to send this information to Adobe through your Internet connection.

---

go check your adobe directory.. there is no directory with a bunch of html files and a dll file.

isnt a cookie only put in if you visit a particular site? Ive never heard of a software installing a cookie.

I seriously doubt adobe would do something like that. Its hard on a companies reputation.

[napalm]

yes tis a hoax. no information is sent to adobe when you run photoshop. the adobe SITE might log your IP when you click on adobe online or use online help, but the program itself doesn't access the net. try setting up a firewall and watching the ports if you dont believe it.. or just use it offline if you're paranoid

[balistic]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Basse_Ex:
Funnily enough, there's not a single industry where piracy is more common than in the software industry.

---

Excepting the pirate industry, matey.

Arrrrrrrr!!!

[James Bradford]

i found out it was a hoax by reading the comments to that site's post. a lot of software can do that though, anyone interested in finding out if they have stuff like that on you're computer, go download a program called Ad-aware from www.download.com

[travis travis]

adobe could get in more legal trouble then the users. it's pretty hard to bust someone at all for just posessing a copy of software for one thing. got to go after people selling pirated software.

screw adobe anyway, in case you haven't noticed they sell a $500 turd. maybe people only d/l cause it's expensive, i dunno. i don't see much use though, unless you think that lensflares and dodge/burn images are cool. maybe people who don't want to learn a damn thing about the joy of real art think they can just get something for nothing - but you can't. something a 14-year old did with a couple clicks looks just like something a 14-year old did with a couple clicks.

[Tiger Eaten]

travis travis: Damn straight. Photoshop = crappy program. Offers NOTHING but lensflares and Dodge/Burn. Thank god nobody around here uses it!

[BloodStone]

travis travis: You're just upset because you haven't made any money off of the program. People who can use it well make good money editing photos and creating graphics.

[-HoodZ-]

hmm i dont think spooge demon thinks that Photoshop is a crappy program.....takes talent to use a program