About "ScanHack"...

Note: Much of the following was written before I had discussions with the ScanHack author. We have since corresponded (see his email text and my response below).

Several Win93/Win95 users have informed me that someone is "selling" my software.

At www.scanhack.com, someone is offering various packages, claiming that they "unlock" the out-of-band frequencies in the PRO-93, PRO-95, and PRO-2053. I have been told that these packages are merely large sets of .P95 or .P93 files (for use with my Win95 and Win93 programs). Together, these files contain all of the frequencies in all of the "extra ranges" as added by Win93 and Win95.

By itself, selling these P93 or P95 files isn't a problem. However, it appears that the seller is also including my Win93 and Win95 programs. Apparently, the seller did not read (or chose to ignore) this text from Win95's "License" information on the About box:

You can freely distribute copies of the main archive as long as no alterations are made to the contents and no monetary charge is made. This software may not be embedded within any commercial software package, and may not be used to promote the sale of any other goods or services.

Update 18 Dec 2005: I received an email from the ScanHack seller:

Dear Mr. Starr:

I am the creator of the Scanhack website and I recently happened across your message at http://www.starrsoft.com/freeware/scanhack.asp concerning the Scanhack files.

Up until this point I did not realize I was in violation of your license agreement by including your programmer embedded in the Scanhack installer. I have made certain that it is very explicitly stated that the included Starrsoft installer is freeware that is included free of charge, and all credit is given to Don Starr and Starrsoft.com.

I will no longer offer the embedded installer and I have begun creating a new installer that does not contain the Starrsoft programmer(s) but will instead instruct the buyer that he/she must manually download the freeware from your website. All credit to Don Starr and Starrsoft will remain. With your permission, I will instead offer a link to the appropriate Starrsoft page.

I have never had the intention of ripping you off, and I do not mention the WinXX programmers on the Scanhack website so as not to use the freeware to promote sales of Scanhack. Please accept this note as a formal apology for the inadvertent violation of your licensing agreement.

While many people criticize Scanhack as a rip-off, many buyers have stated that they find it valuable as they do not wish to spend the time or effort creating the files to upload to their receiver. While any WinXX user can manually enter the frequencies, many users wish to scan/search an entire frequency spectrum. This was the idea behind the Scanhack files.

In closing, I would like to thank you for your WinXX programmers, they are valuable products to the scanner community. I recently purchased the Win97 programmer and as usual, it is a fine product.

Sincerely,
Al Shemonia
sales@scanhack.com

This completely addresses my concerns with ScanHack. I would like to thank Al for sending this email and removing my software from his product. I have also given him my explicit permission to include a link to my software in his product. I appreciate Al's prompt attention to this situation, and have no reason to believe that his inclusion of my software was anything but innocent.

StarrSoft.com
1184 Deerpath Rd
Franktown, CO 80116

don@starrsoft.com