posted
Today I received an email to come check out a new forum and when I got there I read about this Elvis jerk was offering software.
So what you say?
Well, it happens to be getting pirated from one of our own: Mark Smith
Mark, as you probably already know, makes the sign estimating software. Somehow or other someone cracked a security code and now was trying to creep his way into a lot of forums to sell the pirated program.
I think the situation has been spearheaded but I don't know for sure. I'm thinking this kind of thing will severely hurt Mark, not to mention anyone else in our circles.
Has anybody talked with Mark Smith since all this stuff happened? And Have you seen any other places with the Elvis Software Impersonator?
[ December 15, 2001: Message edited by: Brian Cornwell ]
-------------------- Brian Cornwell AutoMotivation Plymouth - MA - USA
"The Customer Can Have Any Color He Wants So Long As It's Black" -- Henry Ford Posts: 120 | From: Plymouth MA - USA | Registered: Nov 2001
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posted
Brian, Funny you should bring up this topic, I bid on Photoshop 6 on Ebay, I have received NO LESS than 75 Emails asking me if I would like to buy Photoshop for, anywhere from $35-$75, in fact just before I posted this, I got another email from someone offering me Photoshop for $35 !! I told Adobe about this, they said they know about it, but I don't think there is much they can do. Personally I don't think you can police a person's intergrity, either you know it's wrong to pirate ( or buy pirate software, fonts, etc. )and you don't do it, or you continue to support the people who sell the stuff. We all complain when a customer take OUR designs and has another sign company make the sign, I don't think there is any difference. Just one Sign Painter's opinion. Bob
-------------------- Bob Ficucell Glass Arts Woodland Hills,Ca Posts: 220 | From: Woodland Hills | Registered: Mar 2000
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Yeah, I can see your point and that of the companies too. It's all in the character and calibre of human.
This all just seemed too close for comfort if you know what I mean. And I just met most of the people here and Mark is known for having the best &$#%%@) sign estimating software on the planet right? The first thought I had was like that Elvis guy was attacking Bill Gates before Bill Gates was Bill Gates right? Do you know what I mean? Like . . . for instance, if Marks software is the new standard so to speak he has an excellent chance for cashing in on this right? Right. Now suppose this Elvis guy destroys this chance?
Maybe I'm not explaining so well but if this Elvis guy were to destroy YOUR chances at whatever your company is selling, how would you handle it? Mark spent I think 3 years developing this and some retard comes along and starts this crap?
BULL~! I'd want that guys' arms ripped from his sockets and so would you. But guess what? Go check out that page I saw it at and see how Mark handled it. Man, I have a lot of respect for someone who can hold back the anger like that!
posted
Yeah, I think he's controlling everything very well. I went there again and read past Mark's first post (I guess I missed it before~!) and it appears he has the situation "delicately balanced".
I think Elvis has left the building....(with his head up his . . . )
-------------------- Brian Cornwell AutoMotivation Plymouth - MA - USA
"The Customer Can Have Any Color He Wants So Long As It's Black" -- Henry Ford
Posts: 120 | From: Plymouth MA - USA | Registered: Nov 2001
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posted
How many of you have ever made a tape of music for yourself or a friend? I think at one time or another we have all been guilty of some sort of pirating. If you see a design in sign craft and use that same type of design on your next sign is it stealing? There are many gray areas when it comes to this. Just copying someones software and selling it is just plain stealing. But in this business theft happens in many other ways. I don't know if we will ever be able to stop it. Money is a powerful thing and some are willing to to anything to get it.
-------------------- Rob Larkham Rob Larkham Signs & Lettering 21 Middlefield Road Chester, MA. 01011
413-354-0287 Posts: 517 | From: Chester, MA | Registered: May 2001
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posted
Tech TV on the satellite has a show called CyberCrime where they talk about internet scams and what the government is going to crack down on them.
They run stings, weed out the one timer cheapskates looking for something for nothing, and go after the volume people.
They have a few people working thru the courts who were volume selling hacked smart cards for satellite boxes.
Then there was the lowlife who was selling fake ID's, only he wasn't delivering anything. He was pretty sure that people trying to buy fake ID's would not complain. He collected $165,000 before being closed down. He is now serving 18 months. Not a bad salary if your reputation means nothing to you.
Who knows? - Maybe $65 Photoshop 6 will get you nothing but a cashed check.
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA
Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
A number of years ago I did a script alphabet for SignCraft which was included in a book of hand lettered styles. It was also in one of the early magazine issues. As a part of that article I did the word "Signs" in the script to show the variations of how it could be used.
Since that time I have seen my script word "Signs" (acutally it belongs to SignCraft since they paid me for the article) in about a dozen different yellow page ads across the country.
To me it is rather flattering to have someone use my idea, but it is actually stealing. What is more important to the issue, though, is that someone in our business who advertises themselves as an artist, designer, painter (or whatever) cannot sit down and letter their own word "Signs" for an ad. Why tell the world that you are a sign painter if you have to steal someone else's work? Of all things, the word "Signs" should be the most personal and individual thing that you could produce.
I'm not mad at anyone, just disappointed that one of the most important things we sell is our creativity and that some have to try to copy even that.
Actually Sign DNA now owns that script. They received permission from SignCraft to use it and paid me for the rights to it.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net
Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I went to the Signchat board awhile back and noticed the post by "The Real Elvis." I notified Mark by email about the thread and he went and checked it out and posted the reply you saw. He handled it very professionally. Some of the posters on signchat came down on the guy too, including the moderator. The guy was really blatant about it. Talking about how great a program it was, but not willing to shell out the money for it. Mark is a merchant here, and worked very hard to get his software where it is. It just goes on down the line, with one person hacking it, and others copying and selling, until the market is flooded with bootleg copies. CD burners are great, but they sure have created a problem in this area.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
My Mother used to say that "the cream always comes to the top." Now, I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I do know that it has something to do with always doing right and the results will be good.
In this case it is evident that Mark is the "cream". I knew I liked him for some reason!
Thanks Mark for showing us how a gentleman handles a tough situation. You are one of a kind.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net
Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
How sad to hear of this. Mark is a good person, and I respect what he's done with his software. I'm happy to hear he's put a code in it to discourage piracy.
Makes me wonder how many fonts are swapped, because of the lack of secutiry codes in them.
Either way, we as artists, and software makers lose, and the end result in increased costs for those who do buy legally.
posted
I can't tell you how nice it is to receive such strong support from such a wonderful community. It was such a nasty feeling to discover that there was some idiot out there pirating EstiMate! Needless to say, a change in the security mechanism will have to be devised.
It's really sad that people have to be so short sighted as to "crack" software that would leave them with a copy that is only partly functional, and without the backing and support of a company like ours. It only makes everything more difficult for us and more expensive for our customers.
Thanks to John Deaton for bringing this to my attention in the first place, to Brian Cornwell for being vocal about it and bringing it to the community's attention (welcome to the BullBoard!), to Raymond for reminding me that there is a level of flattery involved in having your stuff ripped off - and for your kind comments on my character. The same goes for Diane Crowther - your "class act" comment is great. Mark Fair, you are one I've never spoken to and I'm glad the dialogue's open. And Henry, I appreciate your business and I'm glad you've gotten going with EstiMate.
Best wishes to all. Merry Christmas!
-------------------- Best Regards, Mark Smith EstiMate Sign Pricing Software It's Not Luck. It's EstiMate.™ http://www.EstiMateSoftware.com 1-888-304-3300
Posts: 724 | From: Asheville, NC, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I just looked at your site and I have to commend you on something, your not out to gouge the signmaker, your product which is VERY nice looking, is affordable, unlike some of the other companies that overprice their software, I think I will check into your software, and shame shame on those pirates....
Keep up the good work Mark,
Benji
-------------------- Benji McEntire Harrison Graphics/Signs of America Harrison, Arkansas 72601 signmaker@cox.com
posted
A few months ago I was notified that someone was selling a copy of my CD,"Classic Skullz", on Ebay. Thinking this may be a case of "well I bought this cd and I don't really know why so let me try and re-coup some of my money back by selling it", I E-mailed the "pirate" to see if he had any more to sell. He informed me that he did and would sell it to me, on Ebay for $100. or I could buy it outside Ebay for $75., or for the same price that he just sold for it at auction.I E-mailed again to see how greedy he could be and asked if I could buy more. He answered YES! We informed the highest bidder, he stopped payment on his copy. We rewarded the person that discovered the "pirate".Everyone is right, there is not much a small "fish" can do about these low lifes,but refuse to buy from these guys. Also, this guy apparently had been doing this "pirating" as soon as he purchased the CD from one of our suppliers, so he's probably still ripping off someone else's "original work"
posted
Hi folks Can't resist adding my 1 1/2 cents worth to the conversation...
I was alerted to someone stealing Pro Vehicle Outlines and selling on various websites several years ago. The man was in Scotland, of all places. I contacted him using my real name (beleive it or not) and he sold me a copy. Needless to say, I sent leagl representation to have a chat withim and he ceased and desisted. Not only did he not know who I was, he said I was his very first customer. One thing to remember about people who pirate software, in order to sell it, they have to advertise it somewhere, somehow.
By the way, I am tracking info on a well-known US dealer of hardware and software that pirated and sold my stuff up to three years ago. Stay tuned...
Christian (The DAL Guy)
"Never drink and shoot at tax collectors, you might miss" R.A. Heinlein
-------------------- Christian Van SChepen 16 Wild Rose Cr. W. Brooks, AB T1R 0A2
Posts: 32 | From: Brooks, AB | Registered: Nov 1998
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