HDDSuperClone

[Jared]

It may have to do with the read buffer. While the drive is still reading from one head, it's already hitting read errors on the other head because it's now trying to buffer sectors from there. It's why on certain drives you need to disable heads entirely in RAM to image the other ones.

 

[maximus]

I have been working overtime and have not had much time to work on this lately. And what time I have had I spent having a fight with the automated tool that I was using to remaster the Ubuntu based live CD (scrapped the tool and am using all scripting now, much more consistent). Anyway, I have released a new version of the GUI log viewer, HDDSCViewer 0.3-alpha, which is not a big deal, but it has the multilingual support ability. I am not looking for anyone to officially translate it, but I am curious as to how any translations using an online translator would perform. If anyone that is multilingual would like to try out the language export and import feature, I would be interested in how well an online translator works for this (or how poorly it works). If there are ways to phrase things in English that would better translate to other languages I am open to changing how things are worded, and trying to understand how to do the best wording for the future.

 

[jol]

I have learned that translating back can help you figure out if its the right word
Also if it's a long sentence use the most commas (",") you can put into the sentence
And sometimes you can not get to it unless you understand the Lang.
Example the word sentence have 2 meanings
1. a group of words
2. a punishment given by a judge in court.
Translating it back and forth will not help you if you don't understand the Lang.

 

[Jared]

Google Translate isn't half bad these days for larger mainstream languages, as it's got a ton of users providing feedback on specific terminology translation. The less common languages are not so good on Google Translate and usually, return hilarious results. However you'll need a native speaker of each language to at least proofread things and make sure they are understandable. I doubt the program will have a ton of text beyond the help instructions.

 

[maximus]

So as I work (slowly) on the GUI version, I have been thinking about how to how to maintain licensing. The USB dongle idea is the ultimate protection, but it is costly in price. Plus then it absolutely requires shipping. Someone may wish to use the pro version without the relay hardware, or build the hardware themselves, in which case no shipping would be needed. So I have a couple ideas.

The first idea is to use a serial number license key plus an additional code for a specific computer. The user would purchase a the serial, and then they would need to provide me with some sort of code produced when first entering the serial on a computer, and then I would supply the code to allow it to work with that computer. This would lock the activation to that specific computer. There are issues with that, for instance what happens if the computer dies (I have no way to see proof). My idea is that additional computer codes could be purchased at a reduced price.

The second idea is to use a serial number license key, but require the computer to be online each time the program is run. It would find and download needed activation. But this is not the same as an activation server, and has the limitations of both the user and the online server to be both actively online for the program to run.

I am thinking of a combination of the two ideas. If someone wants a short term use, then they get a license that requires it to be online. But for long term use, a computer code would be given.

So what do you think? It is very hard to figure this part out. There are pluses and minuses for every idea I have about this. I am trying to think of the best balance. I am sure everyone would like it if there was only just a serial number activation, but that is so easy to pirate.

 

[pclab]

The safest way is really the USB dongle.

But almost every software rely on serial number code.
We see that the most pirated software is the one that's used the most.
So on the early times, I believe that you wont be affected (pirates don't dedicate too much time to your software) and that will give you time to avaliate better and see if another way is necessary.

 

[maximus]

I know the safest way is the usb dongle, but that is not cost effective unless it is very expensive and desired software. I am not sure if this will qualify for that. I don't think that this will be a big enough target for hackers at first (or maybe not ever?), but if just a simple serial is used then there could be a code compromise that could be difficult to recover from in the future.

Simple serial is easy, but can also be easily shared and then everyone has access to the program, and only newer versions of the program can blacklist the serial, unless there is direct server access required. Managing a sever is currently beyond my limitations.

Serial with an activation code locked to a computer is the more likely alternative. It would keep an average hacker from knowing how to hack it, unless they actually purchased it.

 

[maximus]

But I am thinking that I may try out the lite version with just a serial code and see how it goes. But I have to make the lite version worth buying first...

 

[jinarto]

Success with HDDSuperClone

 

[maximus]

Here are a couple teaser screenshots of the working beta GUI version, just so you know that I am actually still working on this. Hopefully I will have a release version withing the next couple weeks. I still have some tweaking to do, some of it is still a bit clunky. But I am finally to the point of a functional GUI version (still the free version, but this is the needed step before the paid version).