a very funny thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago: I was searching on google for a particular program using the program's name and the word 'download', and the google search results had serials and warez sites ranked higher than the program's legimate download site.   It's really quite amazing that you can find serial numbers, passwords, and cracks for just about any program you want, even for many that cost several hundred dollars or more.  I don't understand how serial and warez sites can stay up on the internet with seeming impunity.  All you need to do is run a google search on a program name and 'serial':  For example, try the following search criteria:  'Photoshop and serial' (do not include the single quotes in the search, but only the words within the quotes), and you'll pull up dozens of these types of sites, of serials, cracks, and warez sites, some of them really big, and operating with seeming impunity on the internet!  I'm not complaining about them, and understand well all the pros and cons to having such sites (So if you're some anti-piracy fanatic, please don't even bother responding and listing all the cons, since I expect nothing but blatantly offensive distortions of the truth anyway), but just wanted to say how amazed I am, and also very grateful, that they exist.

Watch the pop-ups and porn on this site:

http://www.cracks.am/main.html

Using cracks or serial numbers or patches from any site that makes them available, constitutes theft of software license rights of the author who wrote the software in the first place.
I think the above message should therefore be included in any item discussing the subject.
With the warning given, it is up to readers to decide for themselves if they want to be above board!
I don't think it is illegal for these sites to make the information available, or they would have been cleaned out years ago!
It is also advisable (for this activity) to be running a software firewall such as or similar to 'Agnitum Outpost' (not the Pro version, which costs, and doesn't add functionality for most folks).
I would appreciate any further information on this topic.
Best regards, Bill.

that's a good point, Bill, about adding the message that using cracks, serials, or patches constitutes theft, though I think few people would let that weigh too much on their conscience considering how expensive some of these programs are (hundreds of dollars) and considering how easy it is to get them for free from cracks/serials sites.  In fact, some of these programs are so outrageously expensive, that actually paying the full price would constitute theft of the consumer.  

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I don't think it is illegal for these sites to make the information available, or they would have been cleaned out years ago!

The Cracks site is located on a server in Armenia and can't be touched.

QUOTE

It is also advisable (for this activity) to be running a software firewall such as or similar to 'Agnitum Outpost' (not the Pro version, which costs, and doesn't add functionality for most folks). I would appreciate any further information on this topic. Best regards, Bill.

Using a firewall still leaves your IP address visible.

Doug says a firewall doesn't hide your IP address. AGREED!
I think a piece of software like 'Ghost Surf' will do this for you. (I don't know what a proxy is - it sounds rude - maybe this software provides such a facility; or is a proxy for something else)?

I recommended the use of a firewall only to prevent ads, foul language and porn being shown on-screen, and mine works fine).
I also use ad-aware, and spy-bot to clean out ads, diallers and spyware!
I also prohibit a list of known dodgy sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 in the Host file.

hi Bill,

About proxies, check here: http://brainmeta.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl...1583599;start=0

Enjoy!
Shawn

Having spent a lot of time in my life looking for programs, and being in an industry where our software is very expensive, I'll throw a bone out to you guys.

http://www.emule-project.net

Yes. Gaining serial/key numbers is a simple process. But there are many legit web surfers that purchase their own software. I would surmise that teenagers are, for the most part, the majority of piracy.