Now You can install Samsung Or HTC Collection's apps on Your Lumia.

[Dave Blake]

Can someone tell me how this is "illegal" ? How is this any difference from perform tricks with android phones and port over software's among them? Porting HTC sense to other phones etc? Is that illegal? Threads about this trick gets closed and guys come in and crying that we are criminals..is this the spirit of WP community? Paragraph-riding-finger-pointing? Really? I feel like putting my ativ s on the shelf and delete my wpc account . I know that doesn't matter to any of you thou. But come on? Even iPhone has its jailbreak/tweaks discussions. Why is this so hardcore illegal?

I want to explain a couple of things here. First legal or not this is a WP store issue that Microsoft can fix. This hole has existed for a long time our Blog even covered this on the front page news. I posted this on page 2 of this thread:

More information on this is available.

Windows Phone Store weakness makes exclusive apps accessible to all, we explain how | Windows Phone Central

And

Glitch spotted in Windows Phone Store, allows installation of Nokia exclusive apps on all phones [Updated] | Windows Phone Central

I think 2 things are in play here one the apps in question are free apps. Microsoft could close this hole and stop this activity but has not. Until we get a cease and desist order or until Microsoft closes the hole this thread remains open. Can we say this is legal, no we can't but in the absence of some type of action by the OEM's or Microsoft it IS apparent they don't care.

Now lets discuss something completely different. With the addition of Windows Phone App Studio people can now unlock their phone for free. This has made it very easy for some to install .xap files on their devices. What we are seeing in the forum right now is an up tick on threads detailing how to get .xap files and how to install these on your device. The .xap files that these people are posting are for an app that has been hacked from the store. This is illegal it is warz it hurts developers and Windows Phone Central will not support this activity. If we (mod team) see in our forum threads that contain links to website where you can go and download .xap files or direct download to an .xap we will delete the thread and on second offence the member posting said links will be banned.


Some food for thought for everybody. If you are participation in this illegal activity keep in mind. When a .xap file is hacked from the Microsoft Store It has to be modified from its original code to work as an .xap. The person copying and hacking has access to the app code and can make any changes he wants. Think about that for a second. Just because it says its the .xap for the game you refuse to pay $.99 for is it? You are rolling the dice on malware here. All I have to say is good luck to you don't come crying to me when you phone is bricked and all your passwords are compromised.


@m3kk Don't give up on WP join the underground if you want that is cool. Just please be careful and don't steel from developers. I know there are some apps out there that wont pass Store certification that we want to try. Go get them and help support these developers so that they can get their apps in the store. We even have a Beta test forum for these types of things right here at WPC we do allow the app developer to post app .xap for things like this. I hope that explains things getter for you and the community. We do all of this just to help developers that is al we want to do.

 

[m3kk]

I have no interest in installing paid software for free, it just bugs me out when someone (same one) joins the thread and asks everyone to please obey the law and then thread is closed. (proxy tweak) and firmly tells everyone that this is an illegal action ..without no source or backing up that statement.

Thanks for your answer! Very much appreciated

I want to explain a couple of things here. First legal or not this is a WP store issue that Microsoft can fix. This hole has existed for a long time our Blog even covered this on the front page news. I posted this on page 2 of this thread:



I think 2 things are in play here one the apps in question are free apps. Microsoft could close this hole and stop this activity but has not. Until we get a cease and desist order or until Microsoft closes the hole this thread remains open. Can we say this is legal, no we can't but in the absence of some type of action by the OEM's or Microsoft it IS apparent they don't care.

Now lets discuss something completely different. With the addition of Windows Phone App Studio people can now unlock their phone for free. This has made it very easy for some to install .xap files on their devices. What we are seeing in the forum right now is an up tick on threads detailing how to get .xap files and how to install these on your device. The .xap files that these people are posting are for an app that has been hacked from the store. This is illegal it is warz it hurts developers and Windows Phone Central will not support this activity. If we (mod team) see in our forum threads that contain links to website where you can go and download .xap files or direct download to an .xap we will delete the thread and on second offence the member posting said links will be banned.


Some food for thought for everybody. If you are participation in this illegal activity keep in mind. When a .xap file is hacked from the Microsoft Store It has to be modified from its original code to work as an .xap. The person copying and hacking has access to the app code and can make any changes he wants. Think about that for a second. Just because it says its the .xap for the game you refuse to pay $.99 for is it? You are rolling the dice on malware here. All I have to say is good luck to you don't come crying to me when you phone is bricked and all your passwords are compromised.


@m3kk Don't give up on WP join the underground if you want that is cool. Just please be careful and don't steel from developers. I know there are some apps out there that wont pass Store certification that we want to try. Go get them and help support these developers so that they can get their apps in the store. We even have a Beta test forum for these types of things right here at WPC we do allow the app developer to post app .xap for things like this. I hope that explains things getter for you and the community. We do all of this just to help developers that is al we want to do.

 

[neo158]

I have no interest in installing paid software for free, it just bugs me out when someone (same one) joins the thread and asks everyone to please obey the law and then thread is closed. (proxy tweak) and firmly tells everyone that this is an illegal action ..without no source or backing up that statement.

Thanks for your answer! Very much appreciated

Well, it's not strictly illegal but it is a bit of a grey area and, possibly, piracy since you are using apps on devices that the manufacturer didn't intend them to be used on and the fact you have to use a proxy "hack" to get them tells me that they weren't intended for other devices anyway.

I would also like to know why Nokia users, since they are the majority doing this, think they have the right to pilfer apps that are exclusive to other devices. Don't you have enough exclusives as it is?

 

[Dave Blake]

Well, it's not strictly illegal but it is a bit of a grey area and, possibly, piracy since you are using apps on devices that the manufacturer didn't intend them to be used on and the fact you have to use a proxy "hack" to get them tells me that they weren't intended for other devices anyway.

I would also like to know why Nokia users, since they are the majority doing this, think they have the right to pilfer apps that are exclusive to other devices. Don't you have enough exclusives as it is?

To your first thought I would say "I don't have a dog in this hunt do you?"

To your second thought I would say. "I can never have enough"

 

[neo158]

To your first thought I would say "I don't have a dog in this hunt do you?"

To your second thought I would say. "I can never have enough"

To your first response, so you really don't give a ****. I hope you don't take the same approach to work!!

To your second response, I suppose you download pirated movies, music and operating systems as well because you can "never have enough"

 

[Dave Blake]

To your first response, so you really don't give a ****. I hope you don't take the same approach to work!!

To your second response, I suppose you download pirated movies, music and operating systems as well because you can "never have enough"

No

and again No

 

[neo158]

No

and again No

What makes this any different to downloading a pirated version of Windows?

 

[Dave Blake]

Who says its different?

Let me run this by you. If I jump a fence on to another persons property to go dove hunting around a pond. If the person who owns the land didn't put up a no tress passing sign. If the owner of the land sees me hunting there and doesn't say anything about it or object in any way. Am I breaking the law?

 

[hopmedic]

Who says its different?

Let me run this by you. If I jump a fence on to another persons property to go dove hunting around a pond. If the person who owns the land didn't put up a no tress passing sign. If the owner of the land sees me hunting there and doesn't say anything about it or object in any way. Am I breaking the law?

I have no idea, as I'm not a hunter, so I have not studied law in that area. But being a content creator, I have studied copyright law, and what is being discussed in this thread is not a grey area - it is illegal. Whether the IP owners choose to do anything about it or not doesn't change the legality of it.

Now the issue of whether WPC will close the thread or not is up to WPC. In the past I was told to report threads like this, and several have been closed, so that is what I did here. If this is WPC's stand, then that is fine - I will stop reporting the thread. Just tell me which way it is and that's fine.

 

[m3kk]

Xda also has strictly no warez or piracy policy, yet they have all kind of tweaks and ports between software. You tell me what they allowing is in fact illegal? You are talking about general "copyright" so it fits there as well.

 

[neo158]

Who says its different?

Let me run this by you. If I jump a fence on to another persons property to go dove hunting around a pond. If the person who owns the land didn't put up a no tress passing sign. If the owner of the land sees me hunting there and doesn't say anything about it or object in any way. Am I breaking the law?

You're the one trying to tell me it's different and yes you would be breaking the law, even if no signs are up why do you think the fences are there?

 

[engineermoore]

Not in Scotland, universal right of access

 

[neo158]

Xda also has strictly no warez or piracy policy, yet they have all kind of tweaks and ports between software. You tell me what they allowing is in fact illegal? You are talking about general "copyright" so it fits there as well.

But that's up to XDA not you, me or anyone else. If they have illegal software on there then that's their problem if they get caught. Just because XDA do something doesn't make it right.

It is illegal if it goes against the EULA of a product. Remember WP7 on the HD2?

 

[neo158]

Not in Scotland, universal right of access

I think that only applies to Public Byways, at least in England it does anyway.

 

[engineermoore]

I think that only applies to Public Byways, at least in England it does anyway.

Sorry for bringing it off topic. A fantastic piece of legislation called the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 granted universal right of access to all land and water unless excluded so long as you act responsibly. Some of the exclusions include gardens, houses, areas were crops are grown and obvious ones like power stations and airfields etc.

 

[engineermoore]

But that's up to XDA not you, me or anyone else. If they have illegal software on there then that's their problem if they get caught. Just because XDA do something doesn't make it right.

It is illegal if it goes against the EULA of a product. Remember WP7 on the HD2?

I wouldn't say its illegal. Certainly a breach of contract but not illegal.

 

[Dave Blake]

You're the one trying to tell me it's different and yes you would be breaking the law, even if no signs are up why do you think the fences are there?

Here is what I am saying. At some point in some situations I have to think there is a third option to the legal not legal argument. This is simply put "No harm No foul" its that simple. You are correct if you jump the fence you are breaking the law but if nobody complains the law will never be enforced. If the farmer knows you are hunting his land and show zero resistance it is okay continue the hunt. We probably should have asked first but its too late for that now. In this situation Microsoft and its OEM partners know some are installing these apps on other devices and they don't care. How do I know this? The writers on this blog have covered this with no objection from the aforementioned. Yes they do read out blog. If they tell us to stop we will but if they don't care why shouldn't we benefit? We did not open this hole but it is open and it is left open. How do we know that the OEM partners aren't leaving this open for beta test purposes? Maybe they are benefiting by allowing this to be done?


In ALL other situations of copy write infringement threads will be closed deleted and if necessary bans will be handed out. Windows Phone Central and Mobile Nations does not support piracy. This thread this discussion is NOT the same. No person is hacking any of this software. Microsoft and the OEM partners are allowing this to continue. Again why shouldn't the WPCentral community benefit from this option?

 

[m3kk]

But that's up to XDA not you, me or anyone else. If they have illegal software on there then that's their problem if they get caught. Just because XDA do something doesn't make it right.

It is illegal if it goes against the EULA of a product. Remember WP7 on the HD2?

but... I never said they did anything right/wrong.. I say they also have strict anti piracy/warez policy. But the whole forum is about tweaks/hacks like this. Would XDA even exist if these kind of stuff was truly criminal?

Would you walk up to a Samsung user (just an example) and say: just so you know Samsung is using technology that is copyrighted but does not pay any fees, which basicly makes you a criminal for using it..please ..obey the law.

These OEMS does stuff all the time, and sue each other for silly things. Must we as users also start this fight and play police? "hey if you want that app you should buy Nokia! I bought Nokia because of these apps and now I'm mad because you can use it! Criminal!!"

 

[Aldwin1999]

I tried doing this again and it doest seem to work :/

I downloaded Pro Camera and it worked the way it should before, but now not so much... When I put all of the Proxy Info. and I try going to an app Via Browser and Sysapp pusher, it doesn't work... it just doesn't connect to the store... in the browser when I press enter (I know its the correct url) the blue bar finishes loading but then it says that it isnt connected and or theres a problem with the connection. Was this because of the GDR3 Update orr?

 

[neo158]

Here is what I am saying. At some point in some situations I have to think there is a third option to the legal not legal argument. This is simply put "No harm No foul" its that simple. You are correct if you jump the fence you are breaking the law but if nobody complains the law will never be enforced. If the farmer knows you are hunting his land and show zero resistance it is okay continue the hunt. We probably should have asked first but its too late for that now. In this situation Microsoft and its OEM partners know some are installing these apps on other devices and they don't care. How do I know this? The writers on this blog have covered this with no objection from the aforementioned. Yes they do read out blog. If they tell us to stop we will but if they don't care why shouldn't we benefit? We did not open this hole but it is open and it is left open. How do we know that the OEM partners aren't leaving this open for beta test purposes? Maybe they are benefiting by allowing this to be done?


In ALL other situations of copy write infringement threads will be closed deleted and if necessary bans will be handed out. Windows Phone Central and Mobile Nations does not support piracy. This thread this discussion is NOT the same. No person is hacking any of this software. Microsoft and the OEM partners are allowing this to continue. Again why shouldn't the WPCentral community benefit from this option?

The point is that you are benefitting from a flaw in the server to gain access to software you aren't supposed to have access to and that's exactly how hackers work, find a flaw and exploit it to gain access to things they aren't supposed to have access to. How is what you guys are doing any different from a hacker?

Not only that but what about support, if you are trying to use software designed for another manufacturers device do you have a right to complain when it doesn't work, e.g. Samsung ATIV Beam on a Nokia or HTC device?