Keyclone validation request

[Esca]

I love Keyclone, but it concerns me a little bit that it seems that it has to be validated every time it starts. I'm not 100% sure that's the case, but it sure seems that way. I first noticed it when I was trying to kill some time on the plane by configuring a few things on it on my laptop and it came up with a validation failed message because I was offline. This morning, it seems the validation server was down for a few minutes. I decided to finish a quick quest from last night before heading off to work this morning and I got the validation failed message for about 10 minutes even though my internet connection was working perfectly. The validation server did come up after about 10 minutes though.

Why not have a "validate once" approach like most other software?

[keyclone]

there is no ability to have a secure 'validate once' capability

if there is, please let me know how

[Eteocles]

Maybe not replace the validation...but it WOULD be nice to have a failsafe in case something happens like the server being unavailable; maybe make the program keep a local note/file/etc when it DOES obtain a valid auth, so that if the auth server is unreachable, it checks said file to see if a valid auth WAS obtained in the past and compare the key with the systemID or something?

I'd be a little iffed if I was really in the mood to box but couldn't cuz the server was down and I'm impatient when I want something ;p(Which is why I'm gonna fucking murder someone at nintendo for their wii shortage this past month rofl); you said someone called you asking for help with a warez keyclone anyways, if it's been cracked and most software can/will be eventually, may as well help us legit buyers out and give us a backup plan/option ;p Rare as the case may be, it's a nice comfort lol

[keyclone]

if there was a local file that would be checked when the server was unavailable, then people would just copy the file around and be done with it.

as for the users trying the crack... :D ... that guy was definitely hosed. i downloaded and analyzed the crack doing a byte level comparison. it's the same size, but it's not keyclone.. about 80% of the code was different. it was most definitely a trojan or some other delivery agent. antivirus software would not pick up on it as they probably have never seen the trojan/virus before.

if people start losing their accounts due to keyloggers, well... i'm not really feeling that bad about it. :D

[Eteocles]

Yea I thought of that but unfortunately some parts of me still have a sliver of faith left in humanity and at least know those of us in the community wouldn't :p Still, can you think of ANY sort of backup plan for us? Would be nice :p This's the 2nd or 3rd post about things like this and I'm a lil concerned myself, just protecting our investment ;p lol

[Wilbur]

I think its fine as it is. Keyclone is entitled to protect his software (and intellectual copyright) however he wants. The server isn't down very often.

[Tehtsuo]

Keyclone has a brilliant rights management schema set up, it allows him to safeguard his property and is, in most cases, reliable for end-users. In addition, he provides fast service that most companies would be envious of when users need to transfer a key to a new computer. Most subscription-based companies are not as helpful as him, even though his is a one-time-charge for the software. Esca, your concerns are valid, but I feel the level of service Keyclone keeps up more than makes up for any short disruptions Keyclone users might experience from time to time.

Now if we could just get him to use a different forum name. "Keyclone wrote Keyclone so people could use Keyclone to clone their keys. I recommend Keyclone by Keyclone." :D

[simjea76]

Well guys, only found the website this morning, and hooked ^^ got 3 accounts now and almost ready to go (ordered & paid for keyclone - still waiting to have the code validated :S)

Just a question, as your located in the Sunny USA , is your software server online 24/7? I was a little concerned maybe I would only have use during your waking hours lol, im sure this is not the case but better to ask now :)

Cant wait to post about my progress with my box toons !! and thankyou for the greatly informative forum



ps. send the key already lol i wanna start ;P

[keyclone]

Hi simjea76 and welcome to the forums!

odds are, you've used an eCheck.. which does take time. drop me a PM with your email address and keyclone system-id (usually starts with SIKC-...) and i'll check to see what the situation is.

and yes, the server is 24x7. it's just a website. i believe in the last year it's been down for 30 minutes total.. it depends on hardware maintenance schedules (out of my control)

talk to you soon,

Rob

[simjea76]

Well thanks Rob!

Key validated after 5 mins bravo! - sorry it took so long to post a reply, LOL I just couldnt wait to have a go :P

Big problem though ! I have just showed my wife, who now wants to multibox GRRRR!!! (yeah she plays wow too :thumbsup: )



ps. and just for the new people like myself, there is no need to worry, I opened up my 2x game windows, logged in with the chars, started keyclone and didnt need to do anything else! keys were mapped and working like a dream ^^

[zanthor]

As the volume of registered users climbs would it be conceivable to put up a secondary authentication site? I don't know what sort of web side you need and how secure it is from that side (IE: Compiled code vs php/raw text asp) so I couldn't begin to say what a secondary authentication site would cost annually, probably too much considering since I purchased KeyClone the ONLY time I couldn't authenticate was when I had an internet outage and KeyClone happened to be the first app to tell me about it ;).

[keyclone]

@simjea76
she plays wow and wants to multi-box? whoa.. she's definitely epic :D

whatever you do, don't show her this thread...
Suvega & Vyndree's Setup (5boxing x 2) ('http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=1455')

[Esca]

I'm 100% for making sure that keyclone is protected from piracy. We definitely want to keep the revenue coming so it keeps growing. And again I love the program and I'm greatly impressed by the level of support. But as a customer, I have to honestly tell you that I'd prefer a model where we would get a key, it's validated by the server and we're then good to go on that system without having to do a check against the authentication server every time we log. In a nutshell my concern is that Keyclone will only work if the authentication server is up. If it goes down, or if for whatever reason, the developer decides to move on to other things and discontinue the tool, we are left with an unuseable tool.

I'll give you an example. I still use a little program to draw icons that was originally built by a freelance developer for Windows 98. I paid my $20 or so to this developer, authenticated the software, and I've been using it ever since. The developer's website is long gone, but my program still works. I love that little program because it's quick and simple so I still use instead of modern tools. I realize I won't be getting any updates for that little program, but I can still use it in it's original form.

I realize that if a big software house makes a seven figure offer to our great author,we won't be getting more updates any time soon, but I hate to think that we would also loose the ability to use what currently exists.

[keyclone]

well, considering the website has been up and running since the fall of 1997.. i don't believe it'll go anywhere anytime soon.

as for 1 time authorization, what would keep that file from being used on another machine? nothing. it would just get copied around and the horse is out of the barn.

a secondary server i have considered, but the number of hits per day is so low right now, it's barely enough to worry about. the only outages are network hardware related or general internet.

as for 'seven figure offers' ... oh yea, that'll happen. seriously though, i update the software because i love it and love to use it (although i'm pissed for coming up with PiP... it has hilighted the fact that i need a hardware upgrade in a bad way :cursing: ...)

so in the end... sorry... but you guys are stuck with me for quite some time :D

[Eteocles]

We have no trouble whatsoever with you rob, we love you :p I think we just want that little cushion for "Just in cases"; one-time auths would be bad yeah, I'm saying leave inthe current system, but add a backup if it returns a 404 or no response and checks to see if it WAS valid before...if there is no Valid signed file to check against it stays disabled; once connectivity is back it would still ALWAYS check the auth server regardless; if there is, they'd have to have connected to get the file at some point; but I also have no idea the specifics involved with programming so I'm kinda just talking out of my ass with suggestions :p Just throwing it out there as an idea for what it's worth

[Anozireth]

I think Keyclone's solution to the issue of validation is one of the better ways to do it. It is pretty secure, the only way I could think to defeat it would be much more than $20 worth of work (even if you know what you're doing) and couldn't be shared with others. Not going into any more detail for obvious reasons. :D

A reasonable way to do it without phoning home every time is to phone home the first time to check validity, then hash the unique system ID and store it on the local machine. On subsequent executions, you can hash the system ID again and compare it to the stored value. This could of course be defeated if someone could figure out the hashing algorithm and the algorithm to generate the system ID. Also more than $20 worth of work, but it could be shared and so isn't as secure.

Ultimately, just about any scheme can be defeated, even validating with a server each time (just look at private WoW servers). He is entitled to use whatever scheme he is comfortable with. As many have stated, it's well worth the $20 by itself, and his great support only makes it better. Besides, if you're multiboxing, you can afford a measly one time $20 payment. 8)

[mdntsurfer]

Hi all, I am new to boxing and have been doing it for a week. Been playing WoW with my wife for 3 years now since 1 week after release and have 9 70s myself she has a few also. I love keyclone for the week I have been using it gives me a new challenge.

My questions is, I had a pc crash and have reloaded and ended up with a new id. I did email my info with old and new number and such. Is this something I will have to do anytime I do a reload on my pc or is this something I did that I could remedy next time I reload.

Thanks in advance to any info that might help me.

[keyclone]

howdy mdntsurfer,

if your system-id changes, due to new hardware, OS, or entirely new machine.. then yes, you would need to transfer your license to the new system-id. if i don't respond right away... i'm sorry... once in a while they do allow me out from under the stairs to forge in the bushes for food... and sometimes it does take some time. ;)

but once i'm back, your license should get transferred asap. (if it's not transferred by now, please drop me a PM with the same information and i'll see what i can do)

[simjea76]

... once in a while they do allow me out from under the stairs to forge in the bushes for food...

lol ! your captors are very kind, if only mine would show a little sympathy hehehe

[mdntsurfer]

Thanks , its fine now. Was not really worried about if it took a couple days. Just wasn't sure if there was something I could do. I was more wondering if I could do something so it wouldnt change because I am still having problems at the moment. We had a power transformer outside blow and it hit my pc... I'm in the process of trying to figure out if its got anything bad, and I thought it was alright and after I had sent my email it started blue screening again.

Last time I had to re partition the hard drive Im guessing maybe thats what changed ID or is it everytime you have to reload windows that it changes, wondering because Im afaid I will be reloading today if it does the blue screen again.

Thanks again for changing my registration so quickly and Im sorry if I have to email you again... next time Ill wait until Im sure its working good again.