New protective measures

[mudlord]

Due to recent misuse of VBA-M binaries without source code and the actions of some individuals, measures will be taken to ensure that this can be avoided.

 

• ALL Windows compiles from now on will be packed and/or digitally signed. This can help ensure builds are trustworthy.

 

Violation of copyrights and the GPL are not to be taken lightly, even moreso when even the original VBA license is violated. Empirical evidence of mischievous actions by such people can, and has been gathered, and it would be wise to avoid such shady sources with questionable downloads.

 

It is highly recommended to use ONLY trustworthy binaries from reputable sources, or the official websites for these projects (unknown builds carry a significant risk of being vectors for viruses and similar harmful code).

 

VisualBoyAdvance:

http://vba.ngemu.com

 

VBA-M:

http://vba-m.com

 

 

Thank you and have a good day.

[Hard Core Rikki]

It is advised to use only trustworthy binaries from reputable sources, or the official websites for these projects (unknown builds carry a risk of being vectors for viruses and malware).

 

VisualBoyAdvance:

http://vba.ngemu.com

 

VBA-M:

http://vba-m.com

[Squall Leonhart]

Forgotten has been advised

[Shiva137]

This have anything to do with this?

 

http://www.1emulation.com/forums/index.php?s=d41958b75ba84219a0dfe0ceda77f0f5&showtopic=27333

[Hard Core Rikki]

The specific case you refer to has been studied thouroughly at NGemu (in the 2 threads linked here and internally), and confirmed as a lame fake posted for 5 minutes of fame.

(links 1 / link 2 / link 3 )

[ZachBacon]

It seems that the people violating the gpl are posting that they can bypass the encryption. My suggestion is to password protect the svn/download area until this issue is resolved either have them join us so they don't violate the gpl or they cease and decist their violations

[MasterPhW]

These guys really getting on my nerve.

I was informed by HCR about all that stuff and had found the time to read over all that stuff and they are reshackers, which claim they add stuff to our VBA-M releases.

Even their naming sheme is stupid. They renamed it again and released another new "beta".

What nice little suckers.

[xKiv]

It seems that the people violating the gpl are posting that they can bypass the encryption. My suggestion is to password protect the svn/download area until this issue is resolved either have them join us so they don't violate the gpl or they cease and decist their violations

 

Anybody can get the source from VBA-M SVN repository (anonymously). A lot of people have access to MSVC and so can build binaries from sources.

Thus, putting copy protection on the binaries won't really accomplish much ... unlike putting in red herrings (pieces of code that won't actually be executed, ever, but won't be optimized out, so they can be found in the executable by people who put them there - but won't be removed by people who don't know they are there (or that they do nothing)).

[Hard Core Rikki]

It seems that the people violating the gpl are posting that they can bypass the encryption. My suggestion is to password protect the svn/download area until this issue is resolved either have them join us so they don't violate the gpl or they cease and decist their violations

 

Idiots looking for attention do not need more attention.

Join? No frickin' way in hell. Forget GPL (these are not some miraculously found coders not contributing back), these do not even have any sort of clue in emulation entirely.

Also, the only attention they are getting is the attention they are given.

Anyone downloading shady stuff from anywhere less reputable than NGemu would've just been asking for it anyway.

 

Note: This is just an announcement thread (lengthy discussions here would not really be appropriate. Feel free to share concerns privately)

[mudlord]

Anybody can get the source from VBA-M SVN repository (anonymously). A lot of people have access to MSVC and so can build binaries from sources.
Thus, putting copy protection on the binaries won't really accomplish much ... unlike putting in red herrings (pieces of code that won't actually be executed, ever, but won't be optimized out, so they can be found in the executable by people who put them there - but won't be removed by people who don't know they are there (or that they do nothing)).

 

Well, so far, it is proven that they have zero skill in programming. So the source to them is useless. Plus, when they use the source, they automatically incur GPL violations, but even now they are breaking it.

 

As for VBA-M tags in the executable, not a bad idea....[img]<fileStore.core_Emoticons>/emoticons/smile.png[/img]/emoticons/smile@2x.png 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I have some....ideas...as to where to embedd tags. Funnily enough, warez scene groups add group tags for the same reason: to stop lamers.