[NTLK] Planning to crack Bernie’s BookReader if abandonware. Does anyone else need this app?

Forrest newton_phoenix at mindspring.com
Fri Sep 17 23:20:03 PDT 2021


I hate to chime in on this—but here goes.

Andrei is of course correct. This has been a heated discussion ongoing in the many years I’ve been proud to be a part of NTLK.

One should ALWAYS first endeavour to obtain the registration key or code by accepted methods—payment made, etc. However as the years roll on there are less and less of these sources still available. Some have been grand enough to donate the source code for the software or a key generator, but that’s been the minority.

While there is no reasoning with the copyright law and no grey area within it, IIRC the solution was often stated this way—will the infringer profit from this intrusion? The Newton is more than 20 years old, it’s not a hotbed for new development. While defeating a registration code by a hack or other means (as opposed to using the correctly obtained one) is against the copyright law, what is the user going to accomplish? If it’s for personal use and that’s as far as it goes (meaning that key or hack is not passed on so others could do the same), again if memory serves that has been less frowned upon.

I mean, wasn’t the software created so it could be utilized, ultimately?

But that doesn’t make it right, as Andrei points out.

These are questions to ponder.

Mahalo,
Forrest

Sent from my T-Mobile iPhone 11

> On Sep 17, 2021, at 2:15 PM, Michael Rebar <michael.rebar at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Appreciate the warning. If the developer comes forward and has a link to pay for the app will do so. Till then, the app was deconstructed to learn how it works. 
> 
> I am using these apps to learn how NewtonOS functions as some of the code is similar to my AI under development. 
> 
> AIRA will be open source, and have come to learn from the “Love Notes..” movie that similar algorithms were used as part of HWR. If the same logic array is used to put speech to text in the BookReader app then it gives me some confirmation I am on the right path. 
> 
> Since this development cycle will take more than the 7 days the app allows for use, I do not think waiting 75 years makes sense before cracking the security to learn from this nearly 20 year old software.
> 
> Newton does not belong in a museum, nor do the apps. Funny how “old” tech still has present purpose. I would have struggled a lot less developing AIRA if I had realized NewtonOS has similar DNA. 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Sep 17, 2021, at 12:23 PM, Michael Rebar <michael.rebar at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Have not heard from developer so planning to crack the shareware protection on this program since likely abandonware.
>> 
>> Does anyone else need this program? If so let me know.
>> 
>> Or does someone already have a key gen?
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
> 
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