[PvK]

Originally posted by Zen:
...
They have every right and should use every measure they have at their disposal to combat it as it is their product that is being pirated, not yours.

No, perhaps they have the right to use every measure for which there is not a good reason they shouldn't. Protecting a product doesn't give carte blanche. Moreover, what the customers do have is their own computer, private information, and Internet access. Software vendors do not, I think, have the right to materially misrepresent what their software does, nor to use their customers' computers for whatever they feel like. I tend to think that if a program is going to "phone home" that it should be explained to the user what it's going to do, and the user should be allowed to refuse permission, without having to bring in their own third-party software to find out about it and stop it.

Now, what would be completely reasonable, would be to make a program which explains a "phone home" check is required to use whatever features, and then to obtain permission before doing so. This protects both the product from piracy, and the user's computer and Internet connection from unauthorized use. Of course, people can still suspect software of doing other stuff than it says it does, but generally those white hack hacker types will notice quickly if it does, and in that case the company responsible should be held accountable.

I know I won't ever buy Turbo Tax again after they included a hidden install of such stuff without telling.

I also have plenty of good faith in Illwinter, and don't think there's a real problem in this case. However in principle I think the program should explain and ask permission up front before phoning home.

PvK