Got a reply from copiesanything.com

[Derrow]

It looks like my action cut a deep hole on the sales of copiesanything, cause I finaly got a reply from www.copiesanything.com about the includment of my tools:

Derrow

First of all we are not selling freeware.

From what you said , I can tell that you have a copy of copiesanything bundle.

If you read the service agreement you will know that what we are selling is an E-Book which is the PDF file and a service which is techsupport.

We did not do any reverse engineering or any changes of any of the freeware that we are using.

Every customer can see clearly who is the author of every program by clicking on the about button.

On the top of all of that believe it or not we did send an email to you and all other authors to let them know what we are doing but we didn’t get any replies from you. That’s was last November.

Your software is free to download every where online and our customers know that and agree to pay for the service so I don’t think any thing wrong with that.

Plus because of all the legal issues that am sure you are a ware of ,we will no longer provide this service any more.

I have seen on some forums that you came to the US and working for company that sells DVD Software , good luck .

Just remember that we after all sent you more than 3 emails back in November to derrow@yahoo.com but I guess because you were receiving hundreds of emails from all kind of people asking for support that’s why you didn’t answer us.

Let us know what you think.

[Derrow]

This was my reply to them:


On your site www.copiesanything.com your ARE DEFINATLY selling software, and not just a Guide (E-book).
There's no word mentioned on your site, that there is freeware included in your package.
The customer gets the imagination that he is buying software.
And he can first see who is the author of the software, after he paid YOU 49.95US$,
So you are selling Freeware.

And that you have sent me an email to me is not true.
It is true that I couldn't answer all emails from users, but I have answered all emails from companies that have asked me to include my tools.

You have noticed now that I have some power, because I have always been honest with my users and my customers.
So I am respected all around the world.

I also gave you 24 hours to remove my tools out of your product, but you didn't react!

Now I will give you another chance:
Either mention on your site: www.copiesanything.com,
that you are selling just an E-Book and that it includes just Freeware,
or remove my tools within the next 24 hours,
and I and my lawyers will stop fighting against you.
Otherwise we are at the same point like before.

By the way, thank for the good luck wishes.
I wish I could tell you the same.

One last thing,

I still have ALL EMAILS from last november 2002.
But I can't find any email from you!
If you have used a different email address, then let me know please, and I will check it again.


Derrow

[windtrader]

Man, what a REAL slime ball. Made me gag just reading their terms in the Legal Disclaimer.

There must be a few friends here who live in the 'hood and would love to pay a visit and ensure he gets what he deserves.

QOJ, LLC
332 Bleeker Street, #D19
New York, NY 10014

Slimeball motto: HEAVE and GAG (as he gets ths shit kicked out of him!)

[Chowskie]

Derrow,

Pls keep us update on what happens next.

[Derrow]

Another mail from copiesanything:

Ok
The service agreement is during installing the software itself not the
one on the website.

We are not bad guys as you might think derrow.
We will do the right thing not because of what you said about suing or
lawyers but because we not that kind.

First the email was sent from sales@dvdecho.com or something
@dvdecho.com and may be on December or November am not really sure
when. But search for emails from whatever @dvdecho.com am not even
quite
sure if I sent it from somewhere else but please look more and am sure
you will find 3 emails regarding this.

As I said if you are requesting removing your tool from the bundle or
let the customer know upfront then we can do that with no problem.

We didn’t get your 24 hours before and this is the first time to know
about that.

Please check the service agreement for the bundle itself because the
website sells more than just one program.

Again we are willing to resolve this ..just take it easy and keep in
mind that after all we might stop selling the whole thing and not just
your tool.

I will wait for your response.
Do you use any kind of messengers that we can chat with you online for
faster response?

[Derrow]

and my reply:

Oh, you are also the producer of DVD Echo ?
This is getting better and better.
As I remember correctly, you have included my tool IfoEdit in DVD Echo too, and also without prior asking for permission.

Believe me, if I would have gotten an email from @dvdecho.com, you would have gotten a reply.

If you really want to resolve this issue, what I doubt,
then simply change your web-page www.copiesanything.com
in that way, that the customer clearly sees that he is buying an E-Book bundled with a bunch of freeware.
You should also list each freeware tool, that is included.
Currently your site pretends, that the customer is buying a software made by you.

But I doubt you will be honest to your customers.
Your goal is to sell as many pieces as possible in a short time.
Then you will close your site, just like www.dvdecho.com

Currently we both are violating the GPL, because your copiesanything containes the tool VirtualDub, which is licensed under GPL.
So this is another very bad circumstance.

[Derrow]

The last mail:

Derrow,

WE just finished the meeting and here is the decision.

They decided not to include your VOBEdit /IFOEdit on there copiesanything bundle and they might even replace the whole thing with a one click program.

We do have many affiliates/Distributors that already selling the old product. We can’t just change that over night.

Please allow us more time I would say 2-3 weeks or max by the end of this month your tools will be completely removed from our site and all affiliates sites.

If you are kind enough to remove what’s is in your website now..That will be great. Otherwise if you want to wait till you see by yourself that your tools are removed then I have no problem with that.

I guarantee that this will be over soon.

Thank you for all your patience and truly I’m personally sorry for any inconvenience we might cause you.

Let me know what you think about this.

[Derrow]

My Reply:

That was the answer I've expected.

Even if you would have removed my tools by tomorrow, it would mean that you will continue to screw customers.
So never mind. Don't bother about removing my tools, cause the situation changed anyway.

I've got emails from the other authors, and none of them ever got an email from you about a permit for their tools.

I will now do my best to shut down your company, so that in future no other companies will even think about to include my tools without permission.

So I wish you good luck with your last SCAM site.
Derrow

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I thought the DVDEcho people got taken to court?!
Have they just shut up shop and reopened as another scamming company?!

ARGHHH!!!

I hate having to provide support for people who buy these programs. I do all the work and they get all the money - a tad unfair!

[Derrow]

Not sure.
They said that they are not the same company.

But then something is wrong. Why should somebody from @dvdecho.com ask me for permission for copiesanything.com :confused:

So I think both companies have something in common or are the same company under a new name.

[mrlipring]

Go you! :P

Can i just say that i'm really enjoying this, it's entertaining stuff. you better keep us updated with all the happenings, it's getting interesting. i smell a slashdotting though. i called it first, ok? :D

you should start a new site solely for people to report stuff like this. i'm sure there are a load of indie programmers whose hard work is earning scammers money all over the place.

[fccHandler]

Has anyone told Avery Lee about this? He was quite P.O.ed the last time he found out someone was selling VirtualDub on ebay. (IIRC they were calling it LuxuriousityVideo!)

[Derrow]

Yes, Avery Lee emailed me and thanked me for posting the full version of CopiesAnything on my site for free download.

He also said that I'm technically violating the GPL as well by
reposting the software, but in this case they will let it slide. :D

[mrbass]

copiesanything a.k.a. QOJ is already being sued by the MPAA
http://www.dvdinfoworld.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=546&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

The best part is in their EULA which says you agree not to do a chargeback on your creditcard. Well that's exactly what I did to them. LOL. I also got permanently banned from rackshack's (webhost who hosts copiesanything.com) chat channel for trying to shut them down.

edit: just so you know originally they were selling Pinnacle Instant Copy 7.0 with a warez serial number. Perhaps Pinnacle's legal department was able to contact them...not sure. But some point in time they started to sell this freeware bundle instead.

[influenza]

If you really want a good laugh read the testimonials to quote one from their website:

“I bought a different copy software product that didn't work at all, so I was a little scared to try this one, but this one does exactly what it says it does, and it's much faster than I imagined it could be.”

Just if I'm watching some amazing discovery program.

And just like Light Uk says they are shamelessly selling freeware in which the authors have put a lot of effort and (probably) didn't get much rewards for. Bleh

[Derrow]

Thank you all guys very much for your help.
We did it, the site copiesanything is now shutdown :)

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63304

[dragongodz]

nice to see but really just the tip of the iceberg as there are still more and more "companies" poping up everyday either using freeware as is(claiming to sell a guide but doesnt say it on their webpage) or recompiling opensource with a changed gui.

its big business too. i know of atleast 1 company that have sold over 200,000 units at $49:95 U.S., thats their stated figures from nearly a year ago and they still sell their "product". when confronted about never having even asked or informed about including a freeware(opensource this case) program they first claimed they tried but couldnt find the email address. when pointed out that its in the guide with the program it became "well thats what the person who was meant to do it told me". distributing opensource is not actually illegal of course but not saying its freeware(at least) is deceptive and could be considered fraud in some countries.

nice to see you back by the way Derrow. :)