Cracked apps - yes or no?

[SHIFTY21]

I have seen quite a few threads recently concerning the use of cracked apps.
I would be interested to read if any of your members actually use these apps and their reasons for doing so. Although I DO NOT use any myself nor do I condone their use I can actually understand why some people do. Sometimes there is no free trial version available and the time you get to use a paid app before you can request a refund is minimal. If people are using these apps just to try them before they buy the full version is it so wrong. I would be interested to hear your views.

Once again, I DO NOT use them nor am I saying people should,it is just a discussion.

Hopefully I haven't broken any forum rules with this thread

Have a good day.

 

[chanchan05]

The main concern with cracked apps is that some of these may have been "reverse engineered" to cut them off from the embedded functionality of validation through the internet. This makes it possible for hackers to have placed malware in them. Some cracks I hear require root access which makes it more questionable IMO.

 

[SHIFTY21]

I didn't refer to the malware threat because this can happen if the app is cracked or from the official market in my opinion.
Thanks for you input.

 

[Slug]

Sometimes there is no free trial version available and the time you get to use a paid app before you can request a refund is minimal.

A very good point, and one that I know many developers complained about when Google reduced the previous 24hr "window" to just 15mins.

If people are using these apps just to try them before they buy the full version is it so wrong. I would be interested to hear your views.

Yes. Regardless of the reasons behind it, it's still wrong. For every person that goes on to buy an app legitimately, I'm sure many more don't.

Hopefully I haven't broken any forum rules with this thread

None whatsoever, and provided the Site Rules are observed it will remain that way.

Discussion is good and is welcomed, but links or site names to warez definitely isn't. Please keep the discussion on-topic and in the spirit intended by the OP.

 

[ari-free]

A very good point, and one that I know many developers complained about when Google reduced the previous 24hr "window" to just 15mins.



.

What happened was that some developers complained that people would download their game, finish it in a day and then ask for a refund. So google listened to them.
Now this really drove me batty because I never once heard of a non-free game that you could just finish in a day. I wouldn't even bother getting a free game that you could finish so quickly. This policy just screws all the real apps and games that aren't little cute and simple time wasters.

 

[UrsusVIIILXXXVII]

My major concern, apart from the ethical side of it, is security. You completely lose what safety net the Market provides.

I agree that the 24 hour trial leap to 15 minutes was too much. I could see maybe an hour as more reasonable. I have heard though that some developers will offer a longer trial period. What kind and understanding souls they are.

 

[jerofld]

I agree, the refund timer should be closer to 1 hour. Especially considering some games require extra downloads. Any game / app worth it's salt should warrant more than 1 hour use.

Throw in the potential of malware and the fact that you're hurting the developer to the point where they may stop development on that app or any further apps and it's just a shame. But I guess it's part of the price to pay to be an open market.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Many developers will still honor the 24 hour window. If you email them and report issues in that time frame, I've found a lot of them will issue a refund.

 

[aysiu]

I think the refund time period should be set by the developer and not by Google. If a developer decides "I'm giving you a five-second refund time period," no one will buy that developer's app, so the developer--just by the force of the free market--will have to extend it. And then you could have different refund windows for different types of apps.

I like how Tasker has a week-long free trial available on its website. You can't really get to know Tasker within 15 minutes.