Registration system

[Bill]

There are points to be made for boths sides - yes, the user is responsible for the hard reset and getting a new key and yes, Dan is responsible for making the application that he sells more user friendly.

I have owned it for some time now and have asked for keys 4-5 times. I have given up. My EM-500 backup battery goes dead and I must re-install. I don't necessarily have the ability to get to a computer to get a new key for some time as I have the app on my ram card (mm). I have actaully stopped using the application cause it's too much of a pain for me.

I would like to see a registration system - of keys generated by Dan, that relies on a lot of personal information (Name, Email, phone number) rather than the alternative.

The other option is for Dan to make an installer with this personal information hard coded and therefore if they hand it out, he knows where it came from.

Just had to put my 2 cents in on this one.

Bill
bill@dvd-ca.com
(not the email that I registered under )

[James S]

But, you see. This method is uncrackable, atleast to my knowledge. And it's not that hard to get a new key. Dan replies usually within the hour. And if you lose your key while you're away, well then that wasn't because of some program defect.

[Dan East]

Bill, thanks for your feedback. There is a simple alternative available to you. After your next hard reset, install DEXplor and request a new registration key. Then perform a backup (including the Registry) to your Storage Card. Since your device would be clean except for DEXplor, the backup would be very small. As you seem to have a problem with abnormally frequent hard-resets, this would save you a great deal of time in restoring your device to its normal state.

Dan East

[Anon Coward]

I know this is technically the coward's way of doing things, but I'm gonna say it here anyway. (Dan please don't take offence) - and this is slightly OT - so if this isn't your bag, don't read it

I am an ex Java developer turned network engineer, who is currently between jobs. Right now, my income is pretty low by anyone's standards (and I know there are many people out there in the same or similar situations (students (esp high school), the unemployed, etc etc) who really scrape to make ends meet). While I don't actively support warez, I think exorberant prices for software is "not fair" for the little guys who really need it.
No I didn't pay for my copy of Photoshop, or windows or whatever, but when I'm working and actually earning a reasonable income(more than minimum wage), I make every effort to buy the software I use on a daily basis.
Being an ex-developer I know it stings to have your program pirated, and I'm not trying to justify my actions - I know pirating is wrong.

Here in Australia dexplor would cost about $40 (give or take, depending on the exchange rate). Yes, it is semi functional in the "trial" version, but that takes ages to load on my ipaq and it's a dog to run for the most part (that doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile, it's got heaps of nifty features). But for a program for a handheld, that I'm not gonna be using more than about once a week, the price (especially for someone in my position) seems a bit expensive.


(tangent)
I do try to support as much registered software as I can afford at any given time, heck I own registered copies of Palmreader, mirc, Uplink, fallout (1 + 2 + tactics), Deus Ex and any other programs that I use on a daily basis/play for more than 5 mins, I own numerous music cds and dvds. I also support the open source/freeware/cardware etc communities heck I've contributed to a few..

But that's immaterial in the scheme of things I spose.

(/tangent)

(idea)
I fully support changing the protection scheme, but if it's done, the security should also be based on personal information like credit card info or something that can't be forged easily. I know not everyone has credit cards, but I imagine paypal, cheques and bank accounts all have their own specific numbers/etc that might be able to worked from.
I'm guessing that would be much more secure .. and it wouldn't change per device, only if you changed your personal details
(/idea)

Cheers Dan for making a great piece of software, I just wish it were more accessable to people like myself.

ps. Dan, if you really wana know who I am, post a short message and I'll pm you.

[James S]

I already suggested tying it to credit card information and I forgot why I said that wouldn't work well. But we had already thought of that somewhere along the way.

[Someone]

I don't want to interrupt your little discussion about the copy protection scheme ... but:

-=-=NiRV PROUDLY PRESENTS=-=-
DEXPlor v1.30 by DEX Software *CRACKED*
RELEASE SIZE: [01/01] RELEASE DATE : [07.23.2002]

-----------------------------------------
So Dan can now invent a new protection scheme and everyone will be happy. (I hope so.)

Oh, just wanted to say that I am a registered user of DEXplor for some time now. Although it's somewhat slow on startup, I just had no nerve to wait for this crack.

Have phun.

[James S]

Send Dan the crack so he can fix it. I mean, this piece of software does EVERYTHING for $12 ! Is that so hard?

[LOL]

Send Dan the crack so he can fix it. I mean, this piece of software does EVERYTHING for $12 ! Is that so hard?

Answer: No!

$12 isn´t hard, but the payment method is bullshit!!

[Dan East]

Hmm. Between PayPal, eSellerate, PocketGear and even acceptance of money orders / cashier checks, I would think one could find a suitable method of purchasing DEXplor.

I think you mistyped, perhaps you really meant:
"$12 isn´t hard for most people, but me paying someone for their effort is bullshit!!"

I do have a "cracked" 1.0 version of DEXplor. The readme file in the crack fails to mention that they were only to enable a few configuration options, and that plugins will not work with the cracked version. Plugins represent the bulk of the real value of the registered version over the shareware version (besides the fact that people actually register software for moral reasons, which of course is worth a higher, more personal value).

Dan East

[James S]

HA! Hees gotcha, bub! Oh, and as you can sse Dan has his recourses too. He'll get it and fix it anyway before he releases the next version sure to have plenty of updates.

[anon]

just don't go into those longwinded warez debates, god i hate those.

You can get all the features of dexplor free anyway
Reg Editor = reg edit, free
file management = ce file commander or activesync

I've used the dexplor trial and it's a great app, but ce file commander is just better for me with it's two paned folder views, makes things easier to move rather than cut n paste. take that as a hint

What WOULD be nice though, is a port of abuse, or at least some hp 56x support for wolf3d.

PM forum time is less important than abuse/wolf3d.

Remember, NO warez discussions, unless you just link to other forums full of warez discussions, then i'll allow it. Keep your dexplor forum related to your prog, delete those rebels' posts, correct the issue and continue supporting your customers rather than thwarting off defiant children.

and remember abuse (at http://www.abuse2.com/downloads.php3) i'll buy you the game if you need the full version's files.

fake-signature___________________________
emoticons are lame, use hardcore faces

[anon]

forgot to disable smileys, ignore those.

fake-signature___________________________
emoticons are lame, use hardcore faces :\

[Dan East]

Don't worry, I ignored more than just the smileys.

Dan East

[anon]

k, good

fake-signature___________________________
emoticons are lame, use hardcore faces :\

[Kismet-ARM]

my thoughts: I tried the demo and really liked it, but as I'm running a PPC 2002/Familiar(from 2 GB Toshiba Storage Card) dualboot, where the Linux bootloader still forces a PPC2K2 hardreset on each reset, it would be very hard for me to run the regged version.

just my 2 cents

PS: here's praying that the bootloader guys at handhelds.org get this sorted soon.