SyntaxBomb - Indie Coders

I wrote my first program with Blitz Plus. It opens mod, s3m, mid, mp3, wav, ogg, bmp, png, jpg, gif, com, bat, exe, and txt files.

It's now available for download here:
http://lucidapogee.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42#p42

I'm trying to download it mate but it states the page is blocked by an extension. I'm using google chrome with no custom extensions just what came with google chrome.

[edit] It seems using firefox it works. Just tested it and it's nice and simple and most importantly it works.

Quote from: Amon on March 25, 2023, 07:30:32I'm trying to download it mate but it states the page is blocked by an extension. I'm using google chrome with no custom extensions just what came with google chrome.

[edit] It seems using firefox it works. Just tested it and it's nice and simple and most importantly it works.

I wrote a custom download manager in php. It's very powerful, but causes issues with some browsers, adblock, etc.

Thanks for the review. Glad to know it worked for you.

Simply use "https://www.lucidapogee.com + /products/ + lamp.zip" to get it.

I write this direct link to encourage lucidapogee to rethink how his php downloader works - and how his server is configured:
- no enforced ssl (the http should redirect to https )
- the downloader is at the end just redirecting to a zip file instead of serving it directly
- disallow direct downloading (using the direct url above) via a configuration of your server

As you have the traffic already (hosting the file) you can simply serve it with your php script (script does the output) - or configure your server to only allow raw files with the right referrer (your script). Still easy to skip it but at least blocks the average joe hotlinker.


bye
Ron

Those are good points. It might be in my best interest to take up that one about blocking direct downloads, although I am not too worried about it as my products aren't popular or commercial. It's just a way for me to rake more ad hits to help support my work.

My download manager allows me to track when and where downloads happen while serving ads. It's still very experimental, so your suggestions may come in handy. Thanks!

By the way, I do plan to get SSL when I have more money and time. Things are thin for me right now.

Quote from: lucidapogee on March 26, 2023, 11:02:08By the way, I do plan to get SSL when I have more money and time. Things are thin for me right now.

You already _have_ SSL (a cpanel issued SSL cert) - just use httpS not http and check what happens on your website. You can always just use "let's encrypt" which is free and easy to setup - might be wider accepted than the current certificate.

Inside your cpanel configuration you can for sure define to auto-redirect to ssl host (https) when somebody reaches via unsecured http.


@ download manager
Seems the US is more liberal when it comes to Ads. Here in Germany adding advertisement to your website means you act "commercial". Means you have to pay taxes for them - and more important: you are easier to get sued (commercial vs commercial ...). And you know how easy it is to (unwillently) do counterfeits ... or infringe copyrights / trademarks / ... .


bye
Ron

I wasn't sure if the default SSL was good enough. I'll try that.

About advertising in the US. We do have to pay taxes. The ad network on my site called AdBlade has paid me over $10000 in the past through their sister company Solvemedia. I used to run a successful ad network site site called promotethis.website (no longer around). I had to pay taxes on every payment. We have to sign a tax form. I am not making much money on advertising since Covid. I am trying to relive the glory days of the early 2000s.. Oh well, we choose our own fates, right?  

You don't always have to pay taxes when you make under a certain amount every month, but we are required to report on all earnings.

German laws sound tough, although every nation has its own red tape. I can't imagine how one running an honest advertising business could get sued. Does the government get confused by fraud hat easily?

it is not about the advertising business - but acting "as a business". When doing things as "average joe" the law often secures your actions. So ordering something online as German from a German online vendor allows us to return it within 14 days after delivery - without any required reason. Also contracts you sign online, via telephone or "on the door" can be "undo'd" within 14 days.
But if you act as a real or "played" commercial (eg saying you have a company albeit you do not have one) does remove all these rights.

Same to say about how easy it becomes to get sued - financial loss seems to be easier to calculate than with normal persons.

To get sued for certain things requires to "do something in the same matters". So for certain things it is required that both "parties" create games ... or bake bread. So if you created a game with a similarity to some other game (eg trademark similarity) it is easier for them to sue you if you are a commercially acting person. Sueing in the sense of "becoming expensive" as the private persons can get sued too - of course .

Other thing we cannot do here in Germany is accepting "donations" as the German translation "Spende" is a very specific thing - only certain organisatory structures are allowed to accept "donations" ... means we as normal developers should avoid the term "Spende" to not be sued for using it. And ... accepting "donations" makes you act commercially as someone can claim you only develop to receive donations ... 

Means all my stuff is free, open source ... and I am not asking for any donations. Paid enough money in the past for such mistakes, no need to continue doing so


bye
Ron 

Quote from: Derron on March 27, 2023, 22:22:19it is not about the advertising business - but acting "as a business". When doing things as "average joe" the law often secures your actions. So ordering something online as German from a German online vendor allows us to return it within 14 days after delivery - without any required reason. Also contracts you sign online, via telephone or "on the door" can be "undo'd" within 14 days.
But if you act as a real or "played" commercial (eg saying you have a company albeit you do not have one) does remove all these rights.

Same to say about how easy it becomes to get sued - financial loss seems to be easier to calculate than with normal persons.

To get sued for certain things requires to "do something in the same matters". So for certain things it is required that both "parties" create games ... or bake bread. So if you created a game with a similarity to some other game (eg trademark similarity) it is easier for them to sue you if you are a commercially acting person. Sueing in the sense of "becoming expensive" as the private persons can get sued too - of course .

Other thing we cannot do here in Germany is accepting "donations" as the German translation "Spende" is a very specific thing - only certain organisatory structures are allowed to accept "donations" ... means we as normal developers should avoid the term "Spende" to not be sued for using it. And ... accepting "donations" makes you act commercially as someone can claim you only develop to receive donations ...

Means all my stuff is free, open source ... and I am not asking for any donations. Paid enough money in the past for such mistakes, no need to continue doing so


bye
Ron

My opinion is that law and politics are the same. What you're saying is eye opening for me about how methodical German law is.

The thought of being able to "undo" something and have that backed by a government is terrifying and pretty much alien to me. I would rather take my loss and post a bad review.

I can't imagine that someone would have sued you for any good reason. It sounds devious to me.

As many laws do, it all sounds nice on the surface. It becomes political. Politics often resorts to democracy, which leads to corruption. There's often a debate between what socialism is or what capitalism is or how they are related. Who is right or wrong?

Many people have different approaches with good intentions and no system is perfect. At the end of the day, people will choose what values to live by.

For me, such laws as you describe remind me of the ones I would find unacceptable in the US. It's a matter of personal belief. I believe that being capitalist requires something called due diligence. Capitalism is the understanding that you cannot micromanage the world and that its better to remain diligent. The quacks in society simply open up room for competition and improvement.

I do not believe in depending on government in any way shape or form and that doing so -- especially as a capitalist -- is a no no. I understand why it works under certain systems. I wouldn't try pushing capitalism on any other country. At the same time, my county has become socialist, but pretends to be capitalist so some cronies may reap the benefits. Puppets who are paid off to babysit the rest of us while the aristocracy gets to build their little underground cities or whatever it is those creeps do while plotting conspiracies against humanity.

I enjoy a good conversation like this. Gets my mind going. Thank you.

Quote from: lucidapogee on March 25, 2023, 05:50:23I wrote my first program with Blitz Plus. It opens mod, s3m, mid, mp3, wav, ogg, bmp, png, jpg, gif, com, bat, exe, and txt files.

It's now available for download here:
http://lucidapogee.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42#p42

Hi, I cant get this link to work?

Kind Regards Baggey

Did you not read the thread? OK just click this: https://www.lucidapogee.com/products/lamp.zip

I was about to add the direct link to the OP. It's a BB program, so I have no problem with SB users downloading directly. Except I cannot edit it now. Maybe a mod can add the link as an alternate link below my main link?

For now, I will reiterate what Derron and markcwm have pointed out.
If you can't download from my main link, try the direct one at https://www.lucidapogee.com/products/lamp.zip