Handango forcing activation models upon developers!

Alexander Turcic · 01-15-2005, 08:30 AM

Msmobiles.com runs a story this morning that made me practically climbing up the wall: "Handango does not allow a trial software to contain a link to the developer's web site (e.g. for trial activation), and they want the trial version to only provide a link to handango.com for purchase of the full product. Links to the developer's website in the product activation dialog are now forbidden."

In other words, if developers do not want to offer a handangonized version of their trial software, they have to remove the download link of the trial from Handango. Now have a close look at the photo depicting the vice-president of Handango (thanks to Msmobiles for revealing his face). Is this person out of his mind when he asks developers to use an activation system for their software that can only be used by Handango?

Handango please tell us: are you ready to pay the thousands of dollars of damage claims in the potential case someone is cracking your standardized activation method?

Unregistered · 01-15-2005, 09:12 AM

And you know that if they do this, it will be cracked in about 2 seconds.

Pride Of Lions · 01-15-2005, 11:39 AM

I have an account with Handango, but I do most of my PDA software purchases from PalmGear. I like more about their set-up than I do Handango's.

I'm sure that no matter how "normal" people feel about these decisions, there is an entire fleet of well-paid suits telling this guy it's the right move.
POL9A

Bob Russell · 01-15-2005, 12:55 PM

I've been buying primarily from handango. This may be a knee jerk reaction, but it sounds like it's time to switch sellers. The biggest advantage for me was that Handango seemed to have more titles available. But I'd rather give my money to pocketgear/palmgear if they treat developers better. Besides, they are also the company that runs ereader, which is a solid ebook provider who I want to succeed.

gadgetguru · 01-15-2005, 02:08 PM

I think Palmgear had similar policies too. That you can only contain references to Palmgear and not anywhere else. This also created a furor among dvelopers but eventually most developers have no choice, such is the way of life living in a semi-monopolistic business space.

What's the third software portal that recently launched? Is that backed by the ESD-Union or not?

Bob Russell · 01-15-2005, 02:20 PM

Do you mean Mobihand? (http://www.pdatoday.com/more/2452_0_1_0_M/)
I haven't seen anything about ESD-Union comments. Nothing on http://www.esd-union.com/ or their forums.

TadW · 01-16-2005, 08:38 AM

I am sorry to spoil the mood, but it appears the msmobiles article is sponsered by our friend PocketTV. Proof: PocketTV has written the same here and pointed to the msmobiles article.

Normally I would agree that those actions by Handango are outrages; but in the case of PocketTV, ... it SERVES HIM/THEM well! Afterall, he tried to make Picard of Betaplayer look like a fraud, only because the free BetaPlayer is milestones ahead of the inferior yet commercial PocketTV player.

Laurens · 01-17-2005, 03:31 AM

I don't see what the problem is here. PalmGear and PocketGear also prohibit developers from including links to their own site in any registration dialogs or documentation. This policy has been in effect for quite some time already. Maybe there's a misunderstanding between PocketTV and Handango.

Alexander Turcic · 01-17-2005, 05:08 AM

It wouldn't be the first time PocketTV "misunderstands" someone

Alexander Turcic · 01-17-2005, 05:41 AM

Handango replied to msmobile's allegations:

Quote:

Hi all,

I'm Clint Patterson from Handango, and I'd like to provide some clarification on the many false statements in this post.

First, this policy is not new. It has been part of the Handango developer contract (available at developer.handango.com) for more than two years.

Second, this is an industry-wide practice. Our competitors (see https://www.smartphone.net/dev_apply.asp in the Software Distribution Agreement section B3 for an example) also require developers to list their sites as the purchase point in trial applications. I presume XXXXX does not mention this because of his past affiliate relationship with Motricity, the owners of PocketGear, PalmGear and Smartphone.net.

Third, the article falsely states that we require developers to modify their registration models. This is absolutely untrue. Developers can use any registration method they choose with Handango.

Fourth (and personally), I did not request that my photo be obfuscated. This is XXXXX's choice. I did ask, during a two hour interview at 3GSM last year (an interview that was never posted on this site), that XXXXX refrain from taking a picture of me alone. If you want to see what I look like, you can at corp.handango.com in the Press Room - Exec Bios section. Fair warning, I'm not a pretty man!. And, XXXXX, once again, you can unblur the image.

If you have any questions about the facts, please feel free to contact me personally.

Best regards,
Clint Patterson
Handango
clint@handango.com

01-15-2005, 08:30 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,170 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Handango forcing activation models upon developers? Msmobiles.com runs a story this morning that made me practically climbing up the wall: "Handango does not allow a trial software to contain a link to the developer's web site (e.g. for trial activation), and they want the trial version to only provide a link to handango.com for purchase of the full product. Links to the developer's website in the product activation dialog are now forbidden." In other words, if developers do not want to offer a handangonized version of their trial software, they have to remove the download link of the trial from Handango. Now have a close look at the photo depicting the vice-president of Handango (thanks to Msmobiles for revealing his face). Is this person out of his mind when he asks developers to use an activation system for their software that can only be used by Handango? Handango please tell us: are you ready to pay the thousands of dollars of damage claims in the potential case someone is cracking your standardized activation method?

01-15-2005, 11:39 AM	#3
Pride Of Lions just kinda geeky Posts: 381 Karma: 30 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Oakland, California Device: iPhone	The eternal quest for market-share. I have an account with Handango, but I do most of my PDA software purchases from PalmGear. I like more about their set-up than I do Handango's. I'm sure that no matter how "normal" people feel about these decisions, there is an entire fleet of well-paid suits telling this guy it's the right move. POL9A

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01-15-2005, 09:12 AM	#2
Unregistered Nameless Being	And you know that if they do this, it will be cracked in about 2 seconds.

01-15-2005, 12:55 PM	#4
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I've been buying primarily from handango. This may be a knee jerk reaction, but it sounds like it's time to switch sellers. The biggest advantage for me was that Handango seemed to have more titles available. But I'd rather give my money to pocketgear/palmgear if they treat developers better. Besides, they are also the company that runs ereader, which is a solid ebook provider who I want to succeed.

01-15-2005, 02:08 PM	#5
gadgetguru Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 6370 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Asia Device: Tungsten T5	I think Palmgear had similar policies too. That you can only contain references to Palmgear and not anywhere else. This also created a furor among dvelopers but eventually most developers have no choice, such is the way of life living in a semi-monopolistic business space. What's the third software portal that recently launched? Is that backed by the ESD-Union or not?

01-15-2005, 02:20 PM	#6
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Do you mean Mobihand? (http://www.pdatoday.com/more/2452_0_1_0_M/) I haven't seen anything about ESD-Union comments. Nothing on http://www.esd-union.com/ or their forums.

01-16-2005, 08:38 AM	#7
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	I am sorry to spoil the mood, but it appears the msmobiles article is sponsered by our friend PocketTV. Proof: PocketTV has written the same here and pointed to the msmobiles article. Normally I would agree that those actions by Handango are outrages; but in the case of PocketTV, ... it SERVES HIM/THEM well! Afterall, he tried to make Picard of Betaplayer look like a fraud, only because the free BetaPlayer is milestones ahead of the inferior yet commercial PocketTV player.

01-17-2005, 03:31 AM	#8
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	I don't see what the problem is here. PalmGear and PocketGear also prohibit developers from including links to their own site in any registration dialogs or documentation. This policy has been in effect for quite some time already. Maybe there's a misunderstanding between PocketTV and Handango.

01-17-2005, 05:08 AM	#9
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,170 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	It wouldn't be the first time PocketTV "misunderstands" someone

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