Please define these terms!

I guess I am not as Internet savvy as I thought! Could someone please explain to me what a crackz, serialz, appz, warez and keygen are?? I keep running across websites that contain this info when I am searching Google and I have no idea what they are or what they mean! Thanks for your help!

Michele

 

Illegal stuff. Pirated or "cracked" software.

I would steer clear of that stuff. Usually very buggy and sometimes containing viruses.



Steve

 

But that doesn't tell me what the terms mean!

 

Someone has decompiled a game for instance, and programmed it to work with a "fake" product key.

Thats one example.


Steve

 

Sure it did.

Its exactly what Steve said.

 

Well, I guess I am just not following. So what you are saying is those words all mean the same exact thing?

 

Crackz aka crack codes, are generally small executables that either replace the original program executable (.exe file) or patch it so that it works without authentication or registration.

Serialz aka serial codes, are generally text data that lets you register a program as if you were the person to whom the registration info was assigned to.

appz, apps, short for applications, a generic term for some illegal(questionable) application.

warez, wares, short for software, pretty much same as above.

keygen, short for Key (serial) generators, a standalone executable that generates an valid serial code so the person could illegally register the software, an automated way of using a serial code. Keygens are commonly program specific, meaning created to generate serial codes for a certain program/version.

 

keygen= product key generator.
appz= pirated applications
warez= same thing
crackz= software designed to bypass product keys, activation, registration, or turn trial products into full blown programs.

Can't be any more simple than that.

 

Thanks! Now it makes sense to me

 

I would suggest using the on-line encyclopaedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Just pop your word in that you want a clear definition of and hey presto!...

 

From what I have seen, most contain virus'

 

Sites with this type of content usually do harbor some of the hidden malicious ActiveX controls and/or scripts that open the door to your system for spyware without even your knowledge (if your system is 100% protected then that is a different story but imo anyone who claims their system is 100% protected is greately mistaken).

Also sites who have those so called 'cracks', 'hacks' and 'keygens' do not mention the hidden bonus (Trojans) in those programs!