GPS - Buyer Beware: Navman uses unethical (and probably illegal) business practices

Author

Buyer Beware: Navman uses unethical (and probably illegal) business practices

sfoy@attbi.com

2007-10-02, 10:33 pm

I purchased a Navman 3450 GPS unit for my Ipaq Pocket PC back in
2003. I just recently updated the operating system on my Pocket PC
which requires any installed software to be re-installed. When I
tried to re-install the Navman SmartST software there is an "Activate"
step which connects over the internet to a web site which somehow
gives permission to activate the software. This activate step would
not execute so I emailed Navman. Their response was "sorry, we shut
down that website". Their excuse was the software is obsolete since
it's over 3 years old! This really pisses me off, especially because
their over-protective licensing scheme doesn't even make sense. The
software and GPS receiver were sold together. So even if their was no
"activate" step, or license keys, or any type of anti-copy protection,
why would they even care? Without the Navman GPS sleeve the software
is useless. What were they trying to protect against with this over-
the-top licensing scheme???

So now my GPS solution is useless because Navman decided to shutdown
their website, the XXXXers!

Skramblr

2007-10-04, 10:33 pm

<sfoy@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:1191379645.397868.76610@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>I purchased a Navman 3450 GPS unit for my Ipaq Pocket PC back in
> 2003. I just recently updated the operating system on my Pocket PC
> which requires any installed software to be re-installed. When I
> tried to re-install the Navman SmartST software there is an "Activate"
> step which connects over the internet to a web site which somehow
> gives permission to activate the software. This activate step would
> not execute so I emailed Navman. Their response was "sorry, we shut
> down that website". Their excuse was the software is obsolete since
> it's over 3 years old! This really pisses me off, especially because
> their over-protective licensing scheme doesn't even make sense. The
> software and GPS receiver were sold together. So even if their was no
> "activate" step, or license keys, or any type of anti-copy protection,
> why would they even care? Without the Navman GPS sleeve the software
> is useless. What were they trying to protect against with this over-
> the-top licensing scheme???
>
> So now my GPS solution is useless because Navman decided to shutdown
> their website, the XXXXers!
>

Magellan started doing the same thing - you must have an internet connection
and connect to their website to register the latest Mapsend products. I
leary of this new protect for the exact reason you just found with the
Navman. This is bad for everyone.

-Skramblr

Angus

2007-10-05, 3:33 pm

"Skramblr" <skramblr@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:q6udnSLrTfP_xpj
anZ2dnUVZ_vamnZ2d@co
mcast.com...
> <sfoy@attbi.com> wrote in message
> news:1191379645.397868.76610@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
> Magellan started doing the same thing - you must have an internet
> connection and connect to their website to register the latest Mapsend
> products. I leary of this new protect for the exact reason you just found
> with the Navman. This is bad for everyone.
>
> -Skramblr

This is one reason why software gets cracked. I've had legal software
(Intuit) where it was easier and faster to find a crack for it than it was
to register it legally.
Protection schemes like this perpetuate software piracy more than they
prevent it.

Eks Bohks

2007-10-05, 10:33 pm

Software I find in China or Russia is compatible with most everything and
licenses always work.

> Protection schemes like this perpetuate software piracy more than they
> prevent it.

Eks Bohks

2007-10-06, 7:33 am

Concur my dear friend.

Everything is possible, but for $1 you can try the next one!

King Henry V: "All things are ready if our minds be so."
Westmoreland: "Punish the man whose mind is backward now."

John Tserkezis < jt@techniciansyndrom
e.org.invalid> wrote in
news:4706c916$0$1070
8$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au:
Dunno about that. I've found some of their --- licenses don't

> work
> correctly.
>
> <Cough>
>
> I'm sorry, I'll be going now...

imanozzi

2007-10-06, 10:33 pm

<sfoy@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:1191379645.397868.76610@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>I purchased a Navman 3450 GPS unit for my Ipaq Pocket PC back in
> 2003. I just recently updated the operating system on my Pocket PC
> which requires any installed software to be re-installed. When I
> tried to re-install the Navman SmartST software there is an "Activate"
> step which connects over the internet to a web site which somehow
> gives permission to activate the software. This activate step would
> not execute so I emailed Navman. Their response was "sorry, we shut
> down that website". Their excuse was the software is obsolete since
> it's over 3 years old! This really pisses me off, especially because
> their over-protective licensing scheme doesn't even make sense. The
> software and GPS receiver were sold together. So even if their was no
> "activate" step, or license keys, or any type of anti-copy protection,
> why would they even care? Without the Navman GPS sleeve the software
> is useless. What were they trying to protect against with this over-
> the-top licensing scheme???
>
> So now my GPS solution is useless because Navman decided to shutdown
> their website, the XXXXers!

I'm glad that I purchased a Kogan GPS unit. Works great and never had a
problem. Good price too and best of all - Kogan notify me anytime their
software is updated and direct me to a free download link.

>

Cleveland Tech

2007-10-07, 7:33 am

GTD <Stoooopid@duuuh.net> wrote in
news:13ggqop8r1pt4b0
@corp.supernews.com:

> not_bad wrote:
> You've already proven in other posts that you're too stupid or have
> some personality disorder that prevents you from doing anything
> intelligently, or even holding a civilized conversation. You come off
> as an idiot that runs their pie-hole too much and likely pisses of the
> representatives that they're trying to get help from, like you did
> here. You won't get anywhere because you'll juts act like a whining
> XXXXX-boy baby to the BBB until THEY get tired of your ignorant XXX,
> and it probably won't take that long. I like the fact that you're
> abandoning Garmin, that way, if I ever DO have trouble with mine, I'll
> have a easier time getting through to their tech support without your
> retarded XXX hogging up their time, and they won't already be
> frustrated from talking to you and listening to your ignorant droning.
> Instead of buying a GPS, invent in some rope, a book on knot tying,
> and a step-stool. See how you can use those three things together. .
>

Well said.

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