Pocket Mechanic contains malicious code!

[Colin Dunstan]

Try SKTools. It does everything you are looking for, like find orphaned files, uninstall programs etc. It's not free but definitely worth every cent! And no, I am in no way affiliated with that tool

[spinosum]

Originally Posted by TadW

Cannot confirm that. After your post I analyzed the binaries but couldn't find anything that would trigger a similar code as the one that was used by Tomov. Perhaps something else was in the memory of your friend's PPC that caused the reset?

My friend is a careful ppc geek, acc to him, there is no problem with upgrading the Resco Explorer using the cr@ck. He removed the Resco Pic Viewer v5.20 (incl. cleaning up the registry), before installing the v5.30 and then use the keygen to generate the code. After keying in the code, there was a "Thank You For Purchasing..." pop-up, and then the pic viewer was able to run like normal. However when he closed and exit the program, the whole ppc suddenly just went blank and needing a hard reset. He repeated the installation after the hard reset and yield the same end-result! He asked me to try out, but so far, since i have no backup for my ppc, i dare not take up this challenge!

[Brian]

Originally Posted by spinosum

My friend is a careful ppc geek, acc to him, there is no problem with upgrading the Resco Explorer using the cr@ck.

Your "friend" *cough* may (or may not) be careful, but I for one see a major problem...

After keying in the code, there was a "Thank You For Purchasing..." pop-up, and then the pic viewer was able to run like normal. However when he closed and exit the program, the whole ppc suddenly just went blank and needing a hard reset. He repeated the installation after the hard reset and yield the same end-result!

Hardly proof that Resco Explorer contains malicious code, especially if an examination of the binaries didn't reveal anything suspicious. I wouldn't go making accusations that infer that Resco is utilizing malicious code to thwart piracy, thereby questioning their reputation, especially seeing that it's with anecdotal evidence from someone who by their own admission is not a legitimate licensee.

I on the other hand am a legitimate Resco Explorer and Viewer (for Palm OS) user, and in my experience they make quality products and have excellent customer support.

I'm disappointed to see someone (with only 4 posts I might add) openly discussing on these boards the use of pirated/cracked software (by a "friend") and spreading unsubstantiated (and with flimsy "evidence" at best) allegations that could possibly harm a very well respected software developer.

Is it possible to "subtract" Karma?

Brian

[drtesdell@earth]

Hey All,

Well, I upgraded to version 1.52 last night, and aside from a few added features, no problems at all. I am fully backed up on my PC and SD card of course.

I am not so sure if this guy is as nefarious as we are making him seem. Just to consider:

1. He gives his support email address
2. He stands to lose alot of income if his s/w gets trashed or discontinued etc. or he gets sued (a possibility, esp. a class action suit by 100-500 or more people) and that would also drag in pocket Gear and Handango, who I am sure have their own techies, who especially when alerted test out any questionable (or things people have complained about) s/w to see if they want to continue selling it. After all, their reputation is on the line also big time.
3. He keeps updating it, instead of disappearing into the dark with his money and coming out with something else to make money on and selling it through some other venue, perhaps even another name or company name.

I am for waiting and seeing what Alexander hears back before I judge this guy or mutter, as they say on TV, "Get a rope." :hanged:

DRT

[Alexander Turcic]

I think we are talking about several programs here at once. So let me summarize:

For as much as I know, Pocket Mechanic did have a hard-reset routine for stolen serials for versions before 1.51. Ever since, Anton has removed the code.

Regarding Resco Viewer 5.30, I cannot commend. Resco makes some of the finest apps for Pocket PCs, and I haven't read anything bad about them. Since it was Tad who revealed the malicious code in PM, I rely on his observations when he says that there is no harmful code present in Resco Viewer. Btw, V5.31 has been released; so in case your friend's device was really hard-resetted due to some - perhaps faulty - code in 5.30, ask him to check 5.31.

I guess the moral of this discussion is that it pays to stay legit!

[drtesdell@earth]

Thanks Morpheus,

I'll go check it out. I don't mind paying for good software, and if there is a TRIAL version, I learned to try it first! Part of the whole deal with Anton and PM, which which I bought and registered and is now version 5.1 is that people didn't pay I guess, and used other folks serial numbers on their
devices.

While I do not condone the rather harsh hard reset consequence Anton apparently put in his earlier versions for those who didn't buy it and use their own code, I can see if I were an inventor trying to sell something, I would try my best to make sure for every 100 copies I sold, 500 did not get given out for free essentially. It's not much different than all the safeguards Microsoft and other big PC manufacturers try to take to protect their investments, as well as the music and DVD-video industry (huge cases in point). And obviously the government and courts see it as a serious enough problem that the federal fines for big time piracy are very stiff I guess.

I'm not trying to come off as a "goodie two shoes," (or three shoes), but I guess I feel like if my "product" I spent alot of time and money on making, testing, advertising and then promoting etc. was being ripped off, and I was losing alot of money, I am sure I would feel p***ed off as well. I wouldn't go burn crosses in people's yards or give their computers a virus, but I would somehow try to stop it any way I could. Anton just picked a very nasty and severe punishment it seems for his earlier versions. Who knows? Maybe this is his whole life income and he has a wife and 6 kids to feed, etc? If it were me, I'd protect my income also. But I would do it in less "destructive" ways.

Anyhow, off to find SKTools!

DRT (and happy Mother's Day to any who consider themselves mothers)