Buying a program half-half with a friend?

[pepillo]

Hey there, I just have a question that couldn't find the answer in the FAQ. I have understood all the anti piracy measures and it is not my intention to make illegal copies out of any of the programs. With that said, me and a friend bought recently the Alpha Male v6 stage 1 and 2, we live together, and he told me about this site, so I went and did my research, read testimonials, etc. and I decided to go for it. I did not bother to read the copy protection FAQ since it didn't cross my mind we were doing any illegal use of it since we were going to pay for it, for example, we were not googling "Alpha Male v6 free torrent" or something like that.

So we went for it and bought it, and I send an email to know if there was any problem with my friend listening to it in his room and me in my room, since I thought there was a possibility of our brains getting like overly saturated with ultrasonics and things like that. When I read the answer of the email, it said it was going to trigger the copy protection so we started to freak out that maybe the subliminal are not working and is messing up our brains.

With all these said, are we illegally using the program? In the case we are, we won't get enough money to buy it until the next 2 months (hence we bought it by stages), should we stop using it and just pay another one when we can, starting from 1 & 2 again, or can we continue listening to it and then each one buys he's own Stage 3 & 4, OR if one of us stops listening to it is the other one will become ok? (Which will be hard since we live together, but one of us would not be listening to it outside the house) Or is the copy we have useless now?

This thing is really serious and it wasn't our intention to do any f***ed up thing, but just want to know what to do, we don't want our brains to fry. What's for sure is next stage 3 & 4, we'll buy it separately obviously, just want to know what to do now with regards the Stage 1 & 2.

I hope none of the Subliminal Shop team gets offended with any of this, just we really want to know what to do, we were really excited about the program but now we are just like freaking out about our brain health.

Thanks!

[Edo]

The money doesn't matter at all. What does matter is,

1. One copy are used by 2 people
   
2. One copy are copied and distributed
   

To solve your problem just use AM 6.0 together in one room. You paid legally and the owner is one of you, say the owner is you. You use AM 6.0 in your room and your friend sleep in your room. Done.

One copy one owner and everybody in.the listening zone will get affected and that usage method is fair.

Hope my english is understandable. Thanks.

[pepillo]

Hey Edo! Thanks for trying to explain, but I am still quite confused with a couple of things. In a way, we are both the owners since we paid for it together, and we do what you suggest which is I listen to it with my friend in the house, but then I go out and listen to it in my iPod, and my friend does the same, he goes out and plays it on his iPhone. What is the difference? It is the same audio we were both listening to in the house. Or does the program has a technology that it knows when 2 of the same mp3 are being played at the same time and then it triggers the copy protection? I am still quite confused with it and with the effects it could potentially cause to me and my friend. Sleeping in the same room is not really an option since we both have partners, if you know what I mean. And my main concern is that are we messing up our heads? Or is there no harm and can we continue with the stages 1 & 2? As I said, I obviously will buy my own Stage 3 & 4 since this is quite confusing and troubling, but we are already midway the program so we just want to know if we are wasting our time, or only one of us is and the other one can keep going, and how do we know which one could keep going? I am really concerned about this and I just hope if I could get an answer from somebody directly of Subliminal Shop, and please Edo, don't think I'm not grateful for you trying to answer my doubt, thanks a lot, I just want a definite answer.

Hope to get one soon

[Spiral]

The problem with your idea is that both of you WILL NOT achieve the full effects of the program since each of you are theoretically using 1 licensed program between the 2 of you. This is illegal and considered piracy.

What you can do right now is do what Edo suggested and in the meantime save money for the second purchase. However, I am not completely sure if what Edo suggested would work for you 2 or be a complete waste of time for both of you. My suggestion is that both of you save up for an individual copy of your own. Everyone wins that way!

[Shannon]

If two people chip in to buy, that is a group buy. A group buy results in one payment for multiple copies being benefitted from, unless both persons are listening to one copy at the same time.

When a group buy is enacted, it will trigger the antipiracy measures. The owner is the person who paid for the program, as in, clicked "purchase" from the store.

The only way to use the program legally in this case, as has been stated before, is if the owner uses the program on speakers and the other party listens without having their own copy.

Since you're both in possession of a copy, neither one is fully paid for, so both are illegal right now, and both have activated the antipiracy measures. The owner made copies and gave them away (triggers antipiracy scripting) and the other person accepted copies not fully paid for and used them (triggers antipiracy scripting). To solve this problem, another copy must be purchased by the person who is not defined as the "owner" of the previously purchased program, and no copies can be distributed afterwards.

[Edo]

The owner is the person who paid for the program, as in, clicked "purchase" from the store.

This is a problem. I bought LTU, no, all of my sub with a paypal service. Frankly he is the one who "clicked the purchase" but only me have the copy.

Is it okay Shannon?

[pepillo]

If two people chip in to buy, that is a group buy. A group buy results in one payment for multiple copies being benefitted from, unless both persons are listening to one copy at the same time.

When a group buy is enacted, it will trigger the antipiracy measures. The owner is the person who paid for the program, as in, clicked "purchase" from the store.

The only way to use the program legally in this case, as has been stated before, is if the owner uses the program on speakers and the other party listens without having their own copy.

Since you're both in possession of a copy, neither one is fully paid for, so both are illegal right now, and both have activated the antipiracy measures. The owner made copies and gave them away (triggers antipiracy scripting) and the other person accepted copies not fully paid for and used them (triggers antipiracy scripting). To solve this problem, another copy must be purchased by the person who is not defined as the "owner" of the previously purchased program, and no copies can be distributed afterwards.

Hey Shannon, thanks for the answer. We understand now that we have activated the antipiracy measure. However, one more time, no one has fully answered my question, which is, Do we have to restart the program all over again once we buy the other Stage 1 & 2, or when we buy the new one can we continue normally with the program? As in, e.g. we are in day 17, and when we buy the other program, can we continue to day 18, or we both have to go back to day 1, or only one of us? And what exactly are we listening to if the copy protection triggers like now? Like something bad or something that is giving us nothing of the AM6? Please answer us back as soon as you can and as clearly as you can.

One more thing, suppose each one of us have our own copy now, and I leave my computer in my room all day with the subliminal and never turn it off, and then I go out and I have it in my phone, 2 copies would be playing at the same time in different devices, does this trigger the copy protection?

Thanks again for all the answers, just need the most important question answered.

And last but not least, I think this should be added to the FAQ, since we read it and still didn't realize it would activate the copy protection since in our heads, we were doing nothing illegal... "CAN I BUY A PROGRAM TOGETHER WITH A FRIEND?"

That's all, thanks! and fingers crossed we don't have to start from 0 de program again.

[Shannon]

=The owner made copies and gave them away (triggers antipiracy scripting) and the other person accepted copies not fully paid for and used them (triggers antipiracy scripting).

Hello Shannon. Reading this line from your response got me thinking. I would like to ask you a few questions if I may.
Here is the situation; I have purchased several of your products. I have used AM5, and OGSF, and am currently using AM6. I have recently purchased LTU3, and have given it to my wife as a gift to use. I have no intention of using it. Also, I have purchased several titles for my children, that they are currently using, such as PNWO, and GTBOT, etc.. I have no intention of using these titles either. The backup copies remain on my computer.
Questions:
Since I am technically the "owner," does me gifting the LTU3 trigger the antipiracy scripting for both of us, causing neither AM6 or LTU3 to work to their full potential? Does me giving your programs to my kids trigger the antipiracy scripting for my AM6? Also, I plan on buying and gifting LTU3 to another individual. Since they did not technically pay for it, will that trigger the scripting?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Gifting is accounted for in the program antipiracy scripting. You give it as a gift, and do not retain any personal copies, and do not use it. Exposure to their usage is fine. It's pretty simple.

Parents can retain gifted copies on behalf of children, but not use them themselves.

[Shannon]

Hey Shannon, thanks for the answer. We understand now that we have activated the antipiracy measure. However, one more time, no one has fully answered my question, which is, Do we have to restart the program all over again once we buy the other Stage 1 & 2, or when we buy the new one can we continue normally with the program? As in, e.g. we are in day 17, and when we buy the other program, can we continue to day 18, or we both have to go back to day 1, or only one of us? And what exactly are we listening to if the copy protection triggers like now? Like something bad or something that is giving us nothing of the AM6? Please answer us back as soon as you can and as clearly as you can.

You do not have to start the program over again after paying for your copy. Just keep going. The AP scripting will deactivate once it's paid for, and you will be fine.

One more thing, suppose each one of us have our own copy now, and I leave my computer in my room all day with the subliminal and never turn it off, and then I go out and I have it in my phone, 2 copies would be playing at the same time in different devices, does this trigger the copy protection?

You are allowed fair use. Fair use means you can make as many copies as you like for personal use and backup. So if you want a copy on a CD in your car, and one on your laptop, and one on your phone, and one on your ipad, and three backups, you're fine. As long as nobody else uses any of those copies, and nobody else makes copies, distributes those copies, or any of the rest of what's detailed in the FAQ! One person paid for the right to freely use the program, and only one person is directly and intentionally using the program. Number of copies does not matter.

The only exception is, if you buy a copy of a program, and play it for yourself, and one or more others are exposed, it will not trigger antipiracy code because all are benefitting by YOUR use of the program. You press play, you retain ownership of the copy in use, you did not distribute it, and they do not get the freedom to transport, share, distribute, use at will, press play, or benefit from the program without having paid for that right. So if say four guys were all living together in a dorm room, and one of them purchased a copy of AM6, and he played it on speakers in the common area, and all four left their doors open and were exposed, all four could benefit freely.

But if any of the others were to make a copy, give your copy away, press play, or otherwise do anything with that copy someone else paid for that would be a benefit of ownership after having paid for the program, it would trigger antipiracy measures.

Thanks again for all the answers, just need the most important question answered.

And last but not least, I think this should be added to the FAQ, since we read it and still didn't realize it would activate the copy protection since in our heads, we were doing nothing illegal... "CAN I BUY A PROGRAM TOGETHER WITH A FRIEND?"

That's all, thanks! and fingers crossed we don't have to start from 0 de program again.

Good idea.

[LifeLabs]

Just wondering Shannon, what's the point of antipiracy if more people can be exposed and benefit from a single copy of a program, like in the dorm room example above?

The others guys don't own a physical or digital copy of the program, but they're using it anyway without having paid for it.
Is there an intentionality/unintentionality thing to that?

[IceAlive]

what's the point of antipiracy if more people can be exposed and benefit from a single copy of a program, like in the dorm room example above?

The way I see it is that it's like acquiring a movie and watching it with your friends. There is no piracy there.

If you want to consider the practical aspect, it's very seldom that 2 or more persons can follow the same program, according to the instructions (at least 8 hr/day, for many weeks or months in a row).

[Shannon]

Just wondering Shannon, what's the point of antipiracy if more people can be exposed and benefit from a single copy of a program, like in the dorm room example above?

The others guys don't own a physical or digital copy of the program, but they're using it anyway without having paid for it.
Is there an intentionality/unintentionality thing to that?

In all of this, I do not wish to subject my customers to anything I myself would consider unfair. Anti-piracy and copy protection has gone too far in a lot of cases, and it has caused me to have ill will towards certain bands, brands and groups as a result. I am not saying that from the point of view of a pirate or a copyright breaker, but rather an honest consumer who is tired of being treated like a thief or guilty without having done anything wrong. That is why I went to such great lengths to craft anti-piracy that is fair, effective and reasonable.

As IceAlive states, it is not unreasonable for one person to rent or purchase a movie and then play it while an entire room full of people is present. The same is true of my programs, and it can be that someone might use it this way, and in that case, I would have to surrender those potential profits to fair use.

The key is fair use. If I have a copy I have paid for, I paid not just for the right to have a copy, but to use it for my personal benefit when, where and how I see fit within the confines of gaining the benefits the program is designed to get me. So if I play my copy in the living room, and I have speakers all through the house, my intent is to benefit from it myself - and if others benefit from my use of my copy, it is acceptable because I am using my copy in a way that benefits me and is still reasonable.

The problem arises when people don't want to put up with the inconvenience of that setup, and they want to use someone else's copy in their car, say, or on headphones while they sleep, or after the original purchaser has decided to stop using it. In that case, one copy is paid for, but someone else is benefiting from that copy in addition to the user, without fair use.

If you want to save money, you can take the bus to get to work, or you can carpool with a friend. If you want convenience, you have to buy your own car and then assume the cost and hassle of insurance, gas, oil, maintenance, repairs, parking, new tires, alignments, and so on and so forth. You cannot just wander over to your neighbor's house and drive off with his car whenever you want.

So even though in this case fair use may lose me money, it is important to maintain fair use because that is important for maintaining a reasonable balance between my interests and those of the purchaser. There must be a balance, and both parties must "win". Which is why not only do I maintain this position on fair use, but I make the program's anti-piracy scripting transparent and completely undetectable for legal users. I don't want my customers to feel that they are being treated poorly in the interests of anti-piracy, so it does not even turn on unless they are pirating the program.

Just because I can do something does not necessarily mean I should. Witness the effects of "digital rights management" in some of its incarnations. Andrew has an embroidery machine that requires specialty software to use. But that software is so heavily copy protected that even though he spent literally thousands of dollars to buy it, and has a legal copy, he cannot easily, reasonably or consistently use it. That is an example of copy protection that has gone too far.

My goal is a win-win situation for everyone.

[Shannon]

Can a copyright protection decrease the effects of the subliminal?

Please say no! I did things like buying a subliminal for a relative, she used it for 1 week and she said that it doesn't work and she didn't want to use it again, and then I gave it to another relative. I don't have copies for myself.

I bought a lot of subliminals for a lot of people and I am afraid that may be at some point I triggered the copyright. Should I feel something that makes me notices that it's activated? I never bought an copy of Alpha Male or BAMM for anyone, and they are the only two subliminals I have used. But I have been exposed to more.

EDIT: I also would like to know if I am exposed to another subliminal for 5 minutes or something like this, it can has an impact in my subliminal. And sleeping with someone next room who is using another subliminal. We are both using it with the masked track and we don't hear each other.

Thank you Shannon.

Once again...

The antipiracy scripting does not reduce the effectiveness of the subliminals when triggered. I want people to have a reason to pay for the benefit they receive if they use something that isn't paid for, which they would not have reason to do if the program stopped working, or didn't work as well.

If you buy a program and give it away as a gift, then that does not trigger antipiracy measures as long as you do not keep any copies for yourself. Full ownership and possession must be given to the recipient of the gift.

You're not going to have a negative impact on BAMM2 with minutes of exposure to another subliminal. You also won't have any problems if the person in the next room uses a subliminal that's playing in masked format, and you cannot hear it consciously.