How do I stop torrents?

Peter Martin8 said:So, walk me through this. How exactly are you planning to run your checks if the machine you're installing that software on doesn't even have an internet connection? Seriously, how does that work?

That’s what they tell you about Windows... like it’s some impenetrable fortress. But let’s be real—you’ve still got a bootleg version running on your machine anyway. ☕

Honestly, setting up an internet monitor is child's play. Anyone who actually knows how to code could whip this up in like ten minutes. I’d probably just throw together a quick script in Visual Basic that pings the connection every single day. If it detects a drop, it throws an error. Then, if the program hasn't been updated in a month, it just kicks itself back into gear. Simple as that.

If today was October 1st, 2009... man, what a trip that would be. Just imagine. Everything would basically be stuck in that weird pre-everything era. You'd be sitting there, probably scrolling through some old forums, wondering if the world was actually ending or if you just needed more coffee. Total glitch in the matrix vibes if you think about it.
So, you basically want to kill the software? Just make it wipe its own license keys straight out of the Windows Registry so the whole thing turns into some useless demo version? Yeah... I see where you're going with that.
Look, if you actually want the legit, original version, just go out and buy it. Simple as that.

Look, about those pirated Windows copies... yeah, let's be real, like 99% of people are running them. But I’m telling you, Microsoft could pull the rug out from under any of us whenever they feel like it. They could just block us all from even using the OS. It makes zero sense, right? Like, what's their actual endgame? Their whole business model relies on everyone using their stuff, but once they hit that 50% usage mark, wouldn't they rather just force everyone to actually pay up? It's a weird way to run a massive empire.

restlessnomad16 said:1. Setting up an internet check is actually pretty simple. Someone with coding skills—myself included—could just whip something up in Visual Basic. It could ping the connection daily, and if it fails for thirty days straight without an update, the software just shuts down...

But what about users who don't have reliable internet access? Even if they pay full price, they won't be able to run your program ☕ You can't really design software to be that restrictive (at least not for commercial products)...

If I went to prison for every single thing I’ve ever downloaded via torrent, I’d be looking at a life sentence.
And what exactly were you "making"? Stop gatekeeping and spill the tea. TPB, Mininova, TorrentReactor...
TORRENTS ARE NEVER GOING TO DIE, and amen to that:🙂🙂🙂amen:
amen:🙂🙂🙂amen:

Peter Martin8 said:So what happens to users who don't have an internet connection? Even if they shell out the cash, they won't be able to run your program. ☕ You can't just make software that restricted (at least not commercial stuff)...

Look, I know, I've already said this, but what I'm building basically requires an internet connection to function at all.

So, honestly? The only real way forward is for whoever kicked off this thread to just build a demo version—you know, like a 30-day trial or whatever. If people actually dig it, they'll just go out and buy the full version. Simple as that. Sure, you could slap some anti-piracy protection on it, but let's be real: there’s always going to be someone clever enough to crack it anyway. Actually, it might be even better if that demo gets uploaded to every major torrent site out there... at least then more people would actually know it exists.

I honestly don't know where I'd be without my pirated Windows... and don't even get me started on how much I'm saving on Photoshop🙏🙏
If I actually had to pay full price for those just twice a month, I'd be $1667😲broke as hell, no joke☕

goldenpilot15 said:Man, I don't know what I'd do without pirated Windows...

Same here 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

It’s honestly like walking into a grocery store, filling up your cart, and just walking out... and then complaining that you shouldn't have to pay for it all. 🤷

And let's be real, 99% of you who claim to "have" Photoshop don't actually need it. A $600 software package isn't meant for slapping your buddy's face onto a picture of a giraffe...

As for Windows, if you can afford a computer, you should be able to afford $100 for the OS... if you aren't willing to pay, there's Linux which is free... the fact that people are just greedy and refuse to respect other people's hard work instead of trivializing it... that's a whole different issue..

I don't get why people won't realize that what they're doing is illegal, and until someone gets hit with a massive fine nothing is ever going to change.

@restlessnomad16/">@@restlessnomad16: If a program runs exclusively online, that's a different story since it can be monitored centrally... but I doubt this one works on that principle..

Peter Martin8 said:It’s basically like walking into a grocery store, filling up your cart, and then walking out without paying... only to complain about how much food would cost if you actually had to pay for it.🤷

And honestly, 99% of you who "own" Photoshop don't even need it. A $600 software suite isn't meant for slapping your buddy's face onto a picture of a giraffe.

As for Windows, if you can afford a decent PC, you can afford the $100 for the OS. If you don't want to pay, just use Linux—it's free. The fact that people are too cheap to respect someone else's hard work and instead choose to trivialize it? That's a whole different issue.

For God's sake, people don't realize they're committing a crime until someone gets hit with a massive fine. Until then, nothing changes.

@restlessnomad16/">@@restlessnomad16: if a program runs exclusively online, that's a different story because it can be managed centrally... but I doubt this one works like that.

Epic Troll
Why would I pay full price for a game when it costs me nothing but my internet connection?
The reason you have issues with torrents is simply because you don't know how to use them.
Simple as that. Why buy an XP disc and deal with the hassle $267 when I can grab the exact same thing overnight via torrent?☕ ☕☕

So, here’s how my buddy put it.
You’ve got someone grinding away for five years straight on a project, only for some random person to just rip the software and dump it onto a torrent site.

Honestly, if I were building my own software, I'd go absolutely nuts with the security. Even if I only had a hundred customers, I wouldn't be able to stomach seeing a year's worth of blood, sweat, and tears uploaded to a hundred different torrents 😢 in a single day. What's the point then? You're basically just crossing your fingers and hoping someone actually pays, which... let's be real, isn't happening much.

Bradley Roberts said:Epic Troll
Why would I ever pay for a game when it costs me nothing but my internet data...
If you're struggling with torrents, it's probably just because you don't know how to use them properly.
It's simple as that. Why bother buying an XP disc and complaining $267 when I can grab the exact same thing overnight via a torrent?☕☕☕

In that case, why not just walk into a Walmart and shoplift stuff for $267? ☕

BTW: You were still in diapers while everyone else was already using torrents, so don't act like you've mastered the world just because you figured out how to download a game...

Peter Martin8 said:If that's how you roll, why don't you just walk into a Walmart and shoplift some stuff for $267? ☕

BTW: You were still in diapers while everyone else was already using torrents, so don't act like you're some tech genius just because you figured out how to download a game...

Oh right, because you're clearly an expert on everything since you wrote this post.🙂
And I don't just grab games anymore—it's movies, shows, music... the whole deal.
Besides, were you really downloading stuff from torrents back in 1980 while I was still in diapers?

I mean, if it weren't for those digital pirates out there, I probably wouldn't even be hanging out here right now...