Closed-source developer forced open-source

For those who are just now joining this thread already in progress... I recently learned how easy it is to disassemble .NET programs. I belived my source code was being posted without my consent and have since been in contact with the user in question and all is good...

That said, please, if you're a .NET developer who's considering creating and selling a commercial program there are programs out there like .NET Reflector (FREE) which can easily disassemble and display your code in seconds.... Do yourself a favor and look into obfuscation software for .NET which will atleast make it harder to disassemble and will, for the most part, stop the casual hacker from viewing your code.

I appreciate all of the positive feedback I've gotten from everyone here and I'm moving forward with the GCS program...in .NET. I am going to release it as open source but I'd like to get more of the development out of the way before I start getting other people involved. I haven't had much success with multi-developer situations and I'd like to get my "big ideas" done before letting everyone else have at it.

Thanks!
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  • Goodness. I know how you feel. For me it's not the code of the my time and knowledge it the respect for what I have done. If you take my work and don't acknowledge my work in any way, I'm pissed.

    There are also a lot of traps in open source. I think Bill Gates spoke of open source a cancer. I've been an open source guy before it was called open source. But, I'm also a personal rights guy. What you write is yours and you have the write to do with it as you please, even if it adds to an open source project. The issue comes when you share your work, based on open source code without providing source.

    If I understand you right, I think what they did was wrong. Did they NOT acknowledge you in the code they released? If not, that would put them in violation of most open source licenses.

    Don't be discouraged. Do your work for you. It's nice of others can benefit from it but it's only necessary that you benefit from it. There are all kinds of thieves in the world. I wish I know all their names so I could avoid them.
  • Sheesh... I figured there might be some commercial value in the parsing routines....maybe.... but I guess that's out the window.
  • I dont have a problem with people (i do it myself) using other peoples source, its how we learn. What i have a problem with is spouting has mouth off about other peoples bad code etc....An no he is NOT cleaver just click the Export button in .Net Reflector - it creates all the files for you, now thats scary.
  • Chris, I think I'd be hard pressed to make a claim like this when I am using other people's source (currently un attributed other than in the code itself). The instruments and 3D models most notably.

    Justin, he IS clever. I just can't believe it only took 4 hours for him to find it, disassemble it and post the source code. That's just amazing.
  • Alot of commercial apps are now being written in .Net you just need to Obfusciate...Run your code thru the likes of .Net Reactor and .Net Reflector wont even open your dll's..
    Happy dont give in to knob ends like Entens and keep your project going - He's just a sad little individual sitting in a dark corner thinking he is clever..
    Cheers Justin
  • 3D Robotics
    Happy: that sucks, clear and simple. If he took your IP and removed your name, I'd think you'd have a good case for a DMCA takedown. Here's the template you should edit and send to Jim here.

    ========== BEGIN SAMPLE DMCA TAKEDOWN NOTICE ==========
    Attn: Jim Bourke, RC Groups
    Pursuant to 17 USC 512(c)(3)(A), this communication serves as a
    statement that: (1). I am [the exclusive rights holder | the duly authorized
    representative of the exclusive rights holder] for [title of copyrighted
    material being infringed upon, along with any identifying material such
    as ISBNs, publication dates, etc -- or, if the material is a web page, the
    URL];
    (2). These exclusive rights are being violated by material available upon your site at the following URL(s): [URLs of infringing material]; (3) I have a good faith belief that the use of this material in such a
    fashion is not authorized by the copyright holder, the copyright
    holder's agent, or the law;
    (4) Under penalty of perjury in a United States court of law, I state that
    the information contained in this notification is accurate, and that I am
    authorized to act on the behalf of the exclusive rights holder for the
    material in question;
    (5) I may be contacted by the following methods (include all): [physical address, telephone number, and email address]; I hereby request that you remove or disable access to this material as it appears on your service in as expedient a fashion as possible. Thank you for your kind cooperation.

    Regards, [your full legal name]
  • Thanks guys. Justin, I just download .Net Reflector just minutes before I read your post... it's all there. Plain as day. All my .NET source just hanging in the breeze. This was a valuable lesson for me. There's no way in hell I'm developing anything commercially in .NET.
  • Hey Happy,

    Saw your post ON RGC and the idiots post about your code which rather anoyed me in all.
    They only real way you can stop (really only slow them down) people from reverse engineering your code in .Net is to obfusciate it etc.
    Visual Studio comes with a free community edition of an Obfusciater but it’s a bit naff.
    At the offce we use .Net Reactor http://www.eziriz.com/ and hide our spagetti from the great unwashed….
    It is quite frightening how easy it is to see .Net source via the likes of .Net Reflector…..
  • I'm sorry to read this post, you've made many fantastic and useful programs in the past few years. I hope you won't give up everything because of this mishap. There must be a solution to build a program without the source included. Nobody would develop a commercial product in .NET in this case.
  • Nope. No "include source code" unless it's something I'm missing in the Project Properties. There is no installer, just the executable so that can't be it.
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