In a recent post on their forum Aerosoft annouced that they will change their protection system.

... the new shop uses a new protection system that does not need a online connection while installing, it is far more simple. However, we are slowly starting to limit customer support to registered customers. Basically we believe that the current expertise of piracy is so good that the level of protection needed exceeds what honest customers will accept. Our regular customers know we value them and we know they are honest. So we take a risk and hope our customers will stay honest while we decrease our protection. There will always be pirates, people who STEAL software. We just do not want to spend MORE time and effort (= money) into fighting them. Clearly we go against most major FS addon companies who are increasing protection. It is up to the customers to decide what direction is right.

http://www.forum.aerosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=8054Personally I was increasingly frustrated by the ever increasing protection mechanisms. I hope that this new Aerosoft approach will be succesfull and that it will act as an incentive to other developers.

That is a VERY BAD WAY of stating/spinning their new policy. Although in principle most may agree but they state it as if they are just giving up and not even looking for new measures.Let me just say this from the REAL people in this business: This statement does not necessarily reflect the views of Flight1, but it had better darn well reflect the thoughts of all of us. I'm sure Steve would agree."Our vendor Flight1 and Ourselves are and will always on the lookout for the best balance between protection and customer ease of use. We will continue to refine and enhance our existing systems as well as pursue those who steal from anyone in this business.WE WILL NOT STATE OR ADOPT ANY POLICY that is ok in any shape or form to steal or pirate software from us or our friends in this business nor agree to stop looking for those who steal. We will not concede that we cannot do anything to further inhibit or make life hard for those that should pursue illegal activities concerning the stealing and/or trafficing of software/media.WE WILL take all the time necessary in order to make our customers' purchasing process as secure, convenient, and hassle free as possible WHILE PROTECTING OURSELVES at the same time against any form of stealing and/or piracy."From a personal standpoint I am appalled by this kind of statement. I said it in the other thread that I would be a royal when it came to this kind of idiotic mindset and I will continue to do so at any cost.No offense to the original poster, this has nothing to do with you, however, their policies may have been more strict then those that use the flight1 wrapper, but don't even blanket the rest of us and assume that 'other developers' are in the same boat. You understand what I'm saying? I sure hope so.That's about all I can think of right now in which I can put into words.

I guess it's up to each individual developer to balance the need to fight piracy against alienating potential customers due to a complicated registration process and money spent fighting piracy.It doesn't take much to stop the casual pirate from emailing a program to a buddy or letting a buddy "borrow" the CD. That's probably about the only kind of piracy a developer could ever hope to stop anyway since these days anyone can download anything for free without having to look very hard at all.Matt

>It doesn't take much to stop the casual pirate from emailing a>program to a buddy or letting a buddy "borrow" the CD. That's>probably about the only kind of piracy a developer could ever>hope to stop anyway since these days anyone can download>anything for free without having to look very hard at all.>>MattTrue.Newsflash: most "wrapped" flight1 products can be easily found (cracked) on the net...But only time will tell if Aerosoft has the blue-side up...Marco

We all know that the wrapper and other schemes can easily be found and/or cracked. That's not the point.This is the point: Don't stop going after those people who steal or traffic illegal software. Just because Aerosoft wants to give up all together doesn't mean others will follow suit.We're still going to be working to find new ways to try and inhibit the bad guys.Is that clear enough folks???? I just don't understand how everyone is missing this very simple point. Surely your mothers or fathers must have taught you all how to read. If I can do it with my very limited education I know everyone else can.

Actually my "original" point was how idiotic it was for a major publisher to make such a statement publicly. ROFL.That's got to be the most idiotic thing I think I've ever seen in this business.

>We all know that the wrapper and other schemes can easily be>found and/or cracked. That's not the point.>>This is the point: >>Don't stop going after those people who steal or traffic>illegal software. Just because Aerosoft wants to give up all>together doesn't mean others will follow suit.>I think you're overstating it a little.They didn't say they would stop their copy protection just that they are reducing the level of protection. IOW eliminating the requirement to be online while installing the product. Its always been a cost/benefit decision WRT to the level of copy protection applied. The cost being the financial cost of implemmenting the copy protection and inconvience to the honest customers versus the benefit of making it more difficult for the pirates.It seems to me that Aerosoft is merely saying the 'benefit' of inconviencing the pirates is perhaps not worth the 'cost' of inconviencing the honest customers.They are taking a risk, if it does not work and it costs them a lot of sales they surely will go back to increasing the copy protection level.I agree with the decision, it in effect is applying a belief that most people are honest.We will see how it works for them.Regards.Ernie.

Ernie,I understand what they're getting at, and I applaude them for trying to make their purchasing system a little easier, or whatever.Personally having purchased from them recently, I found their system to be perfectly fine.My point was, don't come out in the same breath and mention the fact that there is nothing we can't do anything to stop piracy when in fact there is. Do you understand the political undertone there? Especially from a major publisher.On a side note they could also loose potential business from other developers.The bottom line is you do not bascially say you've lost the war when it's still in full swing...lol. (overstating there a bit-but you get my point)

""Personally I was increasingly frustrated by the ever increasing protection mechanisms.""Probably not as much as the developers that lose tons of sales to thiefs."" I hope that this new Aerosoft approach will be succesfull and that it will act as an incentive to other developers.""Let's hope NOT! I had no issues with their old system, so this makes no sense.Sorry, it all sounds like spin to me to try and reel those like yourself that have no understanding of what a developer that loses sales to piracy has to deal with. Most end users want the convenance and to be ignorant of what piracy does thinking it doesn't effect them and when it does in the form of any kind of protection, they cry about it. And don't give me the BS of "a pirate wouldn't buy it anyway....."Oh well, it's Aerosofts deal and they just lost another notch on the respect level from me.Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/tfbeta.jpg

Thank you Michael,Why they felt the need to say anything at all is beyond me.If they thought they needed to say something they could have just said:"Dear folks, please bear with us as we attempt to streamline our process in order to make your sales experience more convenient and quicker. If you experience any problems during our change over please email us immediatley"You definatley don't tell the bad guys in a public statement that you're "basically" going to make it easier for them to steal your stuff...LMAO. Good God!:-abduct

""I agree with the decision, it in effect is applying a belief that most people are honest.""Sorry, but the increasing numbers of pirated software says otherwise. Not everyone sees the same lines that form right and wrong and there are many that can be swayed to either side depending on how they justify it to themselves. The popularity of bit torrent file sharing sites and PtoP sites proves this.In a perfect world, yes, everyone is honest. I am a realist but not naive.Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/tfbeta.jpg

I can see in my first post that my thoughts were going faster that my typing.Just for clarification this is my statment: "Our vendor Flight1 and Ourselves are and will always on the lookout for the best balance between protection and customer ease of use. We will continue to refine and enhance our existing systems as well as pursue those who steal from anyone in this business.WE WILL NOT STATE OR ADOPT ANY POLICY that is ok in any shape or form to steal or pirate software from us or our friends in this business nor agree to stop looking for those who steal. We will not concede that we cannot do anything to further inhibit or make life hard for those that should pursue illegal activities concerning the stealing and/or trafficing of software/media.WE WILL take all the time necessary in order to make our customers' purchasing process as secure, convenient, and hassle free as possible WHILE PROTECTING OURSELVES at the same time against any form of stealing and/or piracy."I was appalled at the statement from Aerosoft not at my own statement...lol.

Ernie,Very well put. I would support Aerosoft on this... and they are on my very favored vendor. They care about the hassle that we go through. Partiuclarly when we have to reinstall after 6 months or so and we have forgotten the process. there are so many vendors out there...each having their own peculiar way.. its simply annoying.I do not find Flight1 wrapper an issue..thats only because I have so many of their products and I am used to what they require.Vendors have a right to do what they need to do. I value vendors that give me the least hassle. Simple as that.There are many payware sceneries that do not have any such locks and they are the on my favored vendor list.I tried Cloud9's KLAX. Their system ties their $20 airport scenery to a computer. I have three desktops and a laptop. So I decided not to get that scenery. Not worth the trouble. IMO.If a sofware is a real must have... then I'll get it..even if there is a hurdle that I have to go through. If I am not very convinced, then this ease of use/install/reinstall would push that wobbling wall of indecision to make the purchase.Manny

>My point was, don't come out in the same breath and mention the >fact that there is nothing we can't do anything to stop piracy when >in fact there is. I really didn't read it that way.Sure you can do more things to stop piracy, but at a cost (in time, effort, money and inconvience to the customers).If you as a developer/vendor/distributer want to incur that cost that is your decision.But I see nothing wrong with a vendor saying the total cost is no longer worth the benefit.>Do you understand the political undertone there? Especially from a >major publisher. I don't really see this political undertone. The only thing I see is a vendor who's done a cost/benefit analysis and has decided the cost is not worth the benefit. They applied into their Marketing strategy a little as well.Its a win win situation for Aerosoft, if they are right they have cut down on some costs and made their customers a little happier, and other vendors will surely follow them. If they are wrong and they lose too much then the cost is proven to be worth it and they just return to the way they were before.>On a side note they could also loose potential business from other >developers.Maybe, its certainly a risk they are taking. But its not like they are leaving the barn door open, they still have copy protection scheme. If they are proven right they will gain developers in the long run.As Mathijs stated its the customers who will decide which direction is right.Regards.Ernie.

>Actually my "original" point was how idiotic it was for a>major publisher to make such a statement publicly. ROFL.>>That's got to be the most idiotic thing I think I've ever seen>in this business.No.The most idiotic thing a publisher can do is announce 5 to 6 sceneries, talk them up, then quash any question about them on their forums when asked "what happened" to them.What you fail to understand is how anti-piracy measures are really self-perpetuating chimeras. In the end, the developer will end up spending 50% of time and budget on anti-piracy measures; naturally, the product suffers and this is at least a minor part of the explanation why so many developers are releasing half-as*ed products.Aerosoft has the right idea. Who knows... expert pirates may just say, "Hey... let 'em be for a bit" as a result of their actions, simply out of respect. There may, after all, be some honor amongst thieves.Before you begin your misplaced wailing about the last statement, think on this: it's never been tried. :)