[homeruntilly]

.........

[homeruntilly]

...........

[kwest]

Sure I am in.

[Yastreb]

Interesting, but i cant help.


kudapoyti

[homeruntilly]

.............

[ghporter]

You may try looking into software patents before you get started. This sounds like a product that's well developed-and that could easily mean big corporate backing and boucoup software patents, with the requisite software patent lawyers. Tread lightly, especially when you say you're trying to reverse engineer something in a PUBLIC FORUM.

[kwest]

Correct. There is a provisional patent for this. Also posting to this public forum your intentions shows a blatent violation of the terms of service agreed to when you signed up for the service. You are stating in the subject that "I have an idea" but in fact you are attempting to steal someone else's idea. This post should be removed.

[reader50]

What's being asked for here is technically impossible. This service probably works by placing an autorun file at the root of the iPod's filesystem. Or the filesystem root of any other USB mass storage device that is being tracked.

The autoit3 website offers some proprietary scripting language, no doubt to be used in the autorun file. Windows mounts the device, triggers the autorun script, which loads a gadgettheft website, which in turn records the IP address & other info.

Anyone could build such a system, the particulars are fairly obvious. However, you'd need to rent a web server somewhere as the call-home point, which no doubt costs more per month than the gadgettrack service.

Finally, what you want (Mac compatibility) is impossible. It works on Windows because Windows is the only OS dumb enough to autorun a file whenever a storage device (USB, CD, DVD, etc) is connected. Mac, Linux, UNIX, BSD ... no one else makes that security mistake. It doesn't matter what files are present on an iPod connected to a Mac, no programs will be loaded and run automatically.

Note: you can skip autorun even on Windows by holding down the Shift key when the device is connected, or by disabling autorun in the control panels.

[homeruntilly]

don't post any more about this topic.

------------------------------------------------------

Tyler,

Your account has been banned from using our service for violating the
terms and conditions you agreed to when you created an account.

Terms and Conditions

By attempting to reverse engineering our application and posting
information pertaining to the application as well as clearly defining
your intentions to violate our provisional patent you are flagrantly
violating the terms and conditions which you agreed to when you signed
up for an account with our service. These terms and conditions are
legally binding.

http://forums.macnn.com/103/ipod-iph...-have-an-idea/

We have been in contac with the MacNN regarding this violation and
have asked them to remove the post. If your post impacts our business
in any way you will be held legally liable for any damages.

We have passed the issue on to our legal counsel who may choose to
follow more formal legal proceedings to this case if the post is not
removed in a timely manner. GadgetTrak takes its intellectual property
quite seriously and at any time retains the right to collect any costs
related to this case, including legal expenses and any other costs to
our business from your disclosure of information pertaining to our
patented system. You may receive a more formal notice from our legal
counsel pertaining to this issue, if any damages can be traced back to
this disclosure.


Thank you for your time.

GadgetTrak
info@gadgettheft.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------

i hope i don't get sued or anything. i wasn't thinking.

[ghporter]

homruntilly, it looks like they gave you a "stern warning," rather than began legal proceedings. Unfortunately, that's something that happens when you look into using other people's intellectual property without their permission. And yes, you can be sued for doing something like this when you didn't even know someone else had a patent (in work or approved), though generally they simply send you a "cease and desist" letter.

So far there's no harm that I can see, and kwest seems to be cool with you simply stopping your "investigation" of reverse engineering this product.

[homeruntilly]

yeah... and i was close to finishing too. i deleted all of my work and i am really glad i didn't make the files public. i would have had my pants sued off! heh i have no money. im only 13! yeah i know... stupid, right?

[Sage]

Well, what doesn't kill you (or sue you) only makes you stronger and wiser. At least you know now.