.::Notice About Flashes and Rom's::.

[Isriam]

If you upload and post a flash or rom for PocketPC or PDA, please expect others to download it, flash phones, and resale them as either Cricket branded handsets, or Cricket flashed fully functional phones.

I don't know any other way to put it, other than people on a public internet forum WILL steal your work, place their name on it, and sell it to make a profit.

If you are willing to post your Flash/Rom and are aware that someone else could resale it, then by all means go ahead and post it. This is your warning, please do not complain when you find your flash being sold on ebay or craigslist.

Howard Forums is a place to share knowledge and help others, but as anything else on the internet, there are people waiting to take advantage of someone elses work.

[to0]

If Helmi's not complaining, I really don't think any of us have much right to. Besides, if one of the community's ROMs shows up on CraigsList, we have enough support to have it flagged/removed in a timely fashion.

It sucks to not get your credit where it's due, so ROM makers need to be sure to start tagging their handles or names into their ROMs somewhere discrete. I like how Amoamare did it in his ROMs--upon first boot, the owner information was set to "Amoamare." So, while someone may still be making a profit from your work, it becomes more difficult for that person to take credit for your work.

[berry_lthird]

If Helmi's not complaining, I really don't think any of us have much right to. Besides, if one of the community's ROMs shows up on CraigsList, we have enough support to have it flagged/removed in a timely fashion.

It sucks to not get your credit where it's due, so ROM makers need to be sure to start tagging their handles or names into their ROMs somewhere discrete. I like how Amoamare did it in his ROMs--upon first boot, the owner information was set to "Amoamare." So, while someone may still be making a profit from your work, it becomes more difficult for that person to take credit for your work.

What you just said makes perfect sense.

[to0]

For a while, I was selling a program that I had written for a few bucks on a friend's website. Being dumb, I didn't code any sort of protection into it, so I only made a few dollars before everyone was posting it everywhere. Still, I could deal with that.

It was when I found it on eBay for far more expensive than I was originally selling it for, with a seller claiming that he had written it, that I really got mad. Unfortunately, I also failed to put my name anywhere in the program, so I was never able to prove that I was the author. Lesson learned.

[blee0125]

Great points guys. I agree but I probably won't be posting many ROMs any more. Will probably still release to a select few people. You know who you are. By chance, has anyone figured out how to truly lock down a ROM or encode it somehow so the author is given credit or some form of security as they do for other software? I think someone asked this in the past.

[to0]

I had an idea for a serial system for ROMs that seems relatively simple to implement. I'll try to find some time to give it a shot over my winter break, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to need the help of someone who is better with coding Windows Mobile programs.

If anyone thinks they could provide some assistance for this project, please let me know here, in a PM, via AIM, or however else.

[blee0125]

I had an idea for a serial system for ROMs that seems relatively simple to implement. I'll try to find some time to give it a shot over my winter break, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to need the help of someone who is better with coding Windows Mobile programs.

If anyone thinks they could provide some assistance for this project, please let me know here, in a PM, via AIM, or however else.

Don't know how much help I'll be but I'm willing to help and try just about anything. Plus I got a Touch coming to me in a couple days.

[to0]

I'll try to get on AIM sometime soon to chat with you about my idea. I'm sure we could gather some interest from someone over at XDA-Developers.

[blee0125]

Check you PM. I left you a couple numbers to reach me on. I'll be out of town during the holiday. Cell is best way to reach me. I'll have my laptop as well.

[to0]

It looks like I've come up with a functional solution for a serial system. When I soft reset my device, I'm unable to do anything except type in a textbox and press an "OK" button. If I don't submit "123456" in three tries, my device soft resets.

Of course, with our system, people will need to type something a little more complex than "123456."

Some ROM bandits are about to get owNT=

[blee0125]

sweet. i'm actually on a different number than the one i gave you until tomorrow night. but i'm on aim. that sounds awesome. had a couple implementation questions.

[VetVito]

Please do not waste your time with those codes. Look at Microsoft, Apple and the other giants. They have been battling this problem from the beginning, and losing every single time. All I can say is just enjoy the fact that people actually use your work.

I've decided to keep my rom personal, but may release it because it is that much cooler than yours! (Joke, but I may release it)

[to0]

You have a valid point, but here's my philosophy:

The difference between the giants that you mentioned and me is the audience that's being catered to. When Microsoft releases a new OS, there are tons of people who want it for free, and among those tons of people, there is bound to be at least a few people with the skillset necessary to figure out a way to get into that OS for free. There are VERY few people interested in installing a Cricket-branded ROM for PPC6800. And among those very few people, I have doubts that too many of them are computer hackers.

Another difference is that I'm not charging any amount of money for serials for my ROMs.

So, while this may be a long shot, I still think it's worth a try. If this whole plan fails, I can live happy with just putting my name in the owner information.

[VetVito]

I didn't see that way, you are not charging for serials. Some people just will not give credit when credit is due. How about the bootscreen, just tag your name there.

[to0]

Bootscreen is an excellent and simple idea... can't believe no one came up with that sooner! I will be doing this; thanks for the suggestion.