How to tell if a product is encrypted

dbdigital2

Hello all,

I have a question with regard to encryption that was added in 4.9  to my understanding products with encryption enabled are shown in the "Install types" in the Daz store.  Specifically, it will only list Daz Connect (as I understand it that is the only format that supports encryption).  

However, today I noticed two products that state they are encrypted  ("Bone Doctor" and "Pose Randomizer") in the description yet the page also shows install is possible manually under install types.  I am still using 4.8,  I didn't like 4.9 with regard to the content library, but perhaps that has been improved since last time I tried it).  I also do not  purchase encrypted products for obvious reasons, hence I would really like to know if it is possible to have an encrypted product that shows it can be installed manually in the store.

MelanieL

It's not so much that the products are encrypted, just that the script itself is in .dse format - this is true of 99% of script-based products. They install perfectly normally like any other product, but the script itself you cannot open in a browser and read the contents - I presume because the PA doesn't want to give away his/her secrets! It does mean though that you need an up-to-date version of DAZ Studio to use the script.

dbdigital2

Well if the product is only scripts and it is encrypted I would say the whole product is encrypted, just a different format that doesn't use Dazconnect (but a type I could live with).  The interesting part is the two products I mentioned have "Since this product uses encrypted scripts, it cannot be used in versions of Daz Studio below 4.9.3.166"  But one of the latest products from the same PA (Pose Blender) doesn't mention this information.  But I have to assume the PA used the same method and is likewise encrypted

I guess with scripted products we can't tell without asking the PA (if nothing is referenced in the prodcut information).  Disappointing, but good to know.

Havos

There is a difference between encrypted scripts and DAZ Connect Only products, which is both encrypted and DRM. With DRM the usage of  a particular item is tied to your account, and will only install where your account has been verified with DAZ's servers and the relevant decryption file installed on your PC. Whilst this may seem the same as encrypted scripts, in so much that you can not read them in a normal editor, the problem with DRM is that should DAZ suddenly collaspe for some strange reason (highly unlikely, but we are discussing hypthetical situations) then you could not install your purchased DRM item on a new PC, so it would become useless. The encrypted script can be installed on any machine at anytime, and whilst it is unreadable, it will still work.

dbdigital2

Havos said:

There is a difference between encrypted scripts and DAZ Connect Only products, which is both encrypted and DRM. With DRM the usage of  a particular item is tied to your account, and will only install where your account has been verified with DAZ's servers and the relevant decryption file installed on your PC. Whilst this may seem the same as encrypted scripts, in so much that you can not read them in a normal editor, the problem with DRM is that should DAZ suddenly collaspe for some strange reason (highly unlikely, but we are discussing hypthetical situations) then you could not install your purchased DRM item on a new PC, so it would become useless. The encrypted script can be installed on any machine at anytime, and whilst it is unreadable, it will still work.

Oh I know how normal DRM works.  I have been bitten by it several times, even by large companies that are still in business such as Microsoft when support was umm 'removed'.  Which is why I won't get into the same position again.  Glad to hear that encrypted scripts will still work on any copy of Studio and not tied to any one person.  I think a better term in this case might be "protected from being read" instead of "encrypted", but that is the term the PA used in thise case.  And I assume DAZ does as well.

almahiedra

dbdigital2 said:

Havos said:

There is a difference between encrypted scripts and DAZ Connect Only products, which is both encrypted and DRM. With DRM the usage of  a particular item is tied to your account, and will only install where your account has been verified with DAZ's servers and the relevant decryption file installed on your PC. Whilst this may seem the same as encrypted scripts, in so much that you can not read them in a normal editor, the problem with DRM is that should DAZ suddenly collaspe for some strange reason (highly unlikely, but we are discussing hypthetical situations) then you could not install your purchased DRM item on a new PC, so it would become useless. The encrypted script can be installed on any machine at anytime, and whilst it is unreadable, it will still work.

Oh I know how normal DRM works.  I have been bitten by it several times, even by large companies that are still in business such as Microsoft when support was umm 'removed'.  Which is why I won't get into the same position again.  Glad to hear that encrypted scripts will still work on any copy of Studio and not tied to any one person.  I think a better term in this case might be "protected from being read" instead of "encrypted", but that is the term the PA used in thise case.  And I assume DAZ does as well.

Encrypted *.dse is an old type of file present since years ago in daz studio, and protected by encryption, so this must be called encrypted and was called encrypted years before the DAZ like DRM thing. So the term used by the PA is the appropriate.