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* Posts by Conrad

2 posts • joined Friday 20th April 2007 19:23 GMT

Conrad
Gates Horns

Software patents only make lawyers richer

I am still totally puzzled how an algorithm which could have been written by a script kiddie who has just learned to program and has not prior knowledge of 'said' algorithm could invent/implement all on his/her own can be patentable?

Anything that can be whipped up and shown to work in under 2 hours by someone without special nor advanced domain-knowledge of the algorithm-area should only have a patent life-span of as many years! It's all about money, I mean my own software protection uses a reasonably similar activation method, and I am not seeing anyone come after me, because I am not making any money. But did anyone at the patent office bother to check if I perhaps GPL'd my code in 1997? Not likely because there is no money in it! Unfortunately the score lies at : Altruists=0 : z4=4

Conrad

The sequential ID hack is so old

If I remember rightly it was a website for a large corporate allowing customers to update their details. I think they were selling PC hardware of some sort, printers or something.

But nearly 5 years down the line, have web-backend developers not been made aware of this simple hack by now, simplicity when it comes to data is always your enemy. A pity this is job-applicant data, that kind of stuff is always super-sensitive. I mean if someone helps themselves to your credit-card that's one thing,... pity this makes so many look bad now.

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