Scripts : By Pri

Regarding scripts made by Pri, Proxy Blocker, Pulse Protection, Urban Dictionary, Wikipedia, IMDB, Ban By Host Name and more,
Pri has a License preventing me from hosting his scripts here.

Quote :

License:
* You may not host this script on your website. You must link to this page!
* I reserve the right to deny you access to the IMDB API that the script uses for any reason
* I reserve the right to deny you access to the Pulse Protection API that the script uses for any reason

This means any script by Pri that runs through his server,
Pri has the power to allow or deny access to you/room hosts as and when he sees fit.
In light of this, i do not wish to host them here

So to gain these access controlled scripts you can visit his site.

i think that a guy that puts a license and has the script route to his server so he can monitor and say who can and cant use the script has some issues and is just a egotistical person that really dont know what winmx is all about nobody else puts stipulations on scripts released and i personally think this is unacceptable

My opinion is that this person took the time out of their life to create the script, and therefore has the right to decide how it is distributed.

If this is unacceptable, then it's time to learn how to script yourself so you do not need to use what they create.

People need to remember, these scripts are given out for free, and if the only stipulation someone makes on how you get that script is to visit their own website, i do not believe this is too much to ask.
After all... and i may have mentioned this already, it cost you nothing.

In a way i agree with you Mr.Darn,
but when you use a script, then suddenly you dont have access of the script in your bot, in your room, because someone has denied access when he chooses, that to me is someone wanting control,
1 example is the pulse protection, if you suddenly dont have access, the script is not protecting as it implies,
another example is the proxy blocker with its whitelist, this is to add people you deem safe, so they are not banned for using a proxy, if the almighty power in control of the whitelist removes the names/ip's and your member is banned on entry, it defeats the object of having the whtelist if you are not in control of your bot in your room.

I think there is some misinformation here. The only scripts that need (physically need) my server are the IMDB, Pulse Protection and Proxy Blocker.

IMDB: Needs to use my IMDB API because of the complexity involved in querying IMDBs website for data. It needs the assistance of my server for performance / speed reasons.

Pulse Protection: It is designed from the start to send data to my server so that it can later be re-downloaded to your friends. Metis is unable to host and transfer data itself, there really is nothing I can do about that.

Proxy Blocker: It needs to download a list of Proxy Server IP's and the Definition File which I populate to keep you safe. The Proxy Blocker contains two separate whitelists. One I maintain on my server (Which Proxy Blocker downloads) and one that you yourself can store locally and overrides everything else.

To elaborate, the reason there is a whitelist on my server is because mistakes happen and if I were to add a Proxy Server IP to my server one day and it was a mistake I can easily delete that IP from being blocked for people who are using the client software. And this has happened before. In late 2009 I accidentally added 127.0.0.1 and 192.168.0.3 to the Blocklist as both IP's were listed as proxy servers on a public listing website. Obviously both IP's are simply internal addresses that someone accidentally pasted to a listing. Removing these IP's as fast as possible was a top priority because hosts would have been banned from there own rooms.

To date the Whitelist that I have control over has never been used as the Proxy Blocker relies on Live Blocking instead of a list of Proxy IP's to ban which is more reliable and moves the whitelist burden to you the admins/hosts. When you first install the Proxy Blocker it creates the whitelist file and tells you how to use it. You can add usernames and/or Proxy Server IP's to it to allow them in to your room.

My license for my scripts is quite fair. It says if you alter the scripts you can host them yourself. But if you just copy and paste them as-is then you cannot. Why do you think I have done that? Because I want people to get the latest version of the script at all times. When you posted my Proxy Blocker on here previously Max it was out of date every time I saw it here. And that isn't directly your fault that is just what happens when 3rd parties host other peoples content, I don't expect you to spend every day looking at my site to see if new versions of the scripts are available. Merely writing a summary of what the script does and then a link to the page is enough.

The reason I let you host it if you modify the scripts is because at that point you are making something new that you are responsible for the upkeep and support. It is a new entity and as thus you are free to do whatever you want with it.

The reason my license mentions I may cut you off with regards to my server API's (IMDB and Pulse Protection) is because these API's take resources on my server and if people use the API's in there own services but do not include cacheing or make thousands of automated queries (like I have seen on my IMDB logs where one jackass practically downloaded the entire IMDB website) then I reserve the right to cut you off. I put it there so that there is no misconceptions.

All my newest scripts include Update Notifications to alert the users who use them that new versions are available this is great for me and the users that enjoy my stuff but it is bad in other ways. If my server were to be offline there Metis would break the script this isn't intentional it is just what happens when Metis doesn't receive an answer from a server. However if my server is online but different files are hosted in the locations the Metis scripts would continue to work fine (And my server and site are gonna be up for the next 2 years regardless).

And if you felt that I hold to much control with the scripts well then you can remove the update notifications. The code doesn't contain any abstraction everything is very clearly laid out and heavily commented so that anyone can look at it and see exactly what is going on. The update notifications are usually 6 or 7 lines of code bunched together with a comment above mentioning that it is for updates. Removing those lines will not break anything and scripts such as Wikipedia & Urban Dictionary would work absolutely fine.

I understand that people are getting worried that the things I've produced won't be here next week. But like I don't really understand what all the worry is about really I've used many of these API's in my own room and we've been around for 4 years now. We certainly aren't going anywhere and most of the scripts work without me anyway and the ones that don't can be modified to work with other peoples servers. (I'm thinking Pulse Protection and Proxy Blocker can be made to work on some other persons server, in-fact Proxy Blocker even has built in support for setting another server to be used via an in-room command).

You mentioned that my Hostname Blocker and things go through my server too. That's not true. Hostname Blocker and Ascii Viewer don't do anything with my server. No update notifications or anything as they are abandonware.

Reactor60 wrote:

i think that a guy that puts a license and has the script route to his server so he can monitor and say who can and cant use the script has some issues and is just a egotistical person that really dont know what winmx is all about nobody else puts stipulations on scripts released and i personally think this is unacceptable

I've never stipulated who can and cannot use the scripts. I've never denied anyone access to any of my API's since I released any of the scripts. Let us just keep something in mind. Everything I'm releasing is Open Source, the licenses quite clearly state you can modify the sources and release them and do whatever you want with them. If I wanted control I would release everything for WCB closed source and run it through some cryptography software first to boot.

And finally I just want to point something out, a year ago people would talk about me saying I never released any of my stuff. My room has amazing software, the things I'm releasing here are just recoded features from my room made specifically for Metis for the publics consumption. I never had to do any of it. Reactor himself that I just quoted was one such person who dogged me behind my back that I never released anything, now that I do he is still dogging me. Apparently releasing something with the full source code for anyone to modify is not enough for him. What more can I do really? - I want update notifications in the things I release. I want the IMDB to be fast.

When I released the Proxy Blocker I said on the WinMXWorld forum if anyone wants to host an IP Blocklist to block Proxy Servers I will offer you free hosting and no one took me up on that offer. Which is why I had to host and maintain the IP Blocklist myself. If I don't do anything I am thrown to the wolves. If I do something I am thrown to the wolves. I can't do anything to appease people that just hate me regardless and this whole situation just proves that what they say the problem is (Not releasing code, then releasing and saying its not good enough) isn't the real problem that they have, the real problem is they just don't like me. I think it is jealousy.

Here's my thoughts -- and granted they aren't worth a hill of beans or 1/2 a kronor or whatever the hell you want to say .. I say a giant thank you to Pri -- who does absolutely nothing but attempt to help individuals at his own expense in terms of time .. and his servers and knowledge. So freaking what -- if you want to use a script that he took the time to make you have to visit his site .. that's acknowledgement of an individual's time and effort to so something that VERY little people are doing for the WINMX community. I seen absolutely no flack when you had to visit KM's site to proceure items . These scripts are his simple fact ... he choose to cease and desist us as our prior benefactor did (with certain things) ... then . that's what happens. Eventually everyone gets tired of childish antics and moaning. All I see is people blowing smoke up each other's ass and bitching about someone trying to 'TAKE OVER THE UNIVERSE'. (Sorry Pinky and the Brain) A contrived plot that just doesn't freaking exist -- yet continues to snow ball from an obvious deluded/diswayed source preaching crap from the grandstands to anyone that will listen and is paranoid. Oh gawd ..an autoupdate noticed automatically appeared? Jesus! Instead of all this petty, contrite, crying .. why not work towards a common goal -- the survival of the WINMX network. Please ... FOR THE LOVE OF MX -- Get freaking over it already!

Thank you wavparty.

I think most people that are coming in to this situation are working on faulty information. On this forum and others people are suggesting that all my scripts run through my server for there functions and that I have a remote kill switch. This actually isn't true at all.

As I said above just 3 of my scripts require my server. IMDB, Proxy Blocker and Pulse Protection.

The other scripts such as Urban Dictionary, Wikipedia, Ascii Viewer, Developer Install Code and Hostname Blocker do not require my server at all. And when I release Asciidex that will also not require my server.

The reason my IMDB uses my server API is because it is just to slow to have the script query IMDB directly itself. IMDB does not have an API (Application Programming Interface) for accessing data. The IMDB script without my API would need to query 2 to 3 pages of content at IMDB itself which would slow it down more than 100-150%. Because it can use my API to assist it, it is able to query just 1 page itself (The main content page).

Proxy Blocker will work technically without my server if you deactivate the PG2 Blocking part (there is a command for that) and the Live Blocking will continue to function fine. So that I guess technically doesn't need me but it works best if I'm around.

Pulse Protection was designed from the start with my server in mind it is a service that is literally birthed to be connected with my Server infrastructure. The idea is, when someone enters your room there username and IP is sent to my server and my server sends back to you that users other aliases. The data is encrypted with your password which you can share with your friends to create a 'circle of trust' - Now I understand that some people may have reservations about sharing data and such but this isn't the point of me bringing this up and that is for another debate. I'm just trying to explain how this script requires the server it was the main feature of me even making it in the first place.

Now the other scripts like I said all include there own code and don't use my server for assistance. Wikipedia has there own API, and I use it. Urban Dictionary has a very simple layout and thus I could use Metis entirely for that also. Hostname Blocker and Ascii Viewer do not have any online components and thus they also don't contact my server.

So can we please get over this control and kill switch bullocks. If you don't understand something don't just make wild accusations.

In the future releases I'm going to be moving the & and " symbols to the code instead of using lookups from my server as I just got a latest version of Metis (I believe it is made by Minds?) where these variables work in operators like strrem and strrep where as before in the 2.8 I had they were unreliable. I'm not sure which version most people use of Metis but I'll figure something out. Also I figure now that my scripts have built in update notifications the scripts can be hosted on other sites without modifications as when the scripts are first run notices will appear in opmsg regardless so the licenses on all the scripts will be amended as of this post to allow 3rd party hosting.

Okay just an update. Wikipedia, IMDB and Urban Dictionary now include the & and " in the code directly. Again you may need to use the most up to date 2.8 Metis, the old versions where those two symbols were downloaded is still included on the page if you scroll down to the bottom it lists them under 'Past Releases'.

Other scripts that still download the symbols include Pulse Protection and I think one other, and I will remove them from those when I upgrade those scripts with new features. Thank you Richy for the idea to re-evaluate the symbol issue to be honest I didn't pay much attention to the problem the first time around. I've given you credit for the suggestion on all the pages where the change has come in to affect on my site.

All my scripts licenses have also been changed so that they are now allowed to be hosted anywhere by anyone and shared between anybody without any stipulations of any kind. And finally the bit in the license where it says I can remove access to the API from you for any reason has been scaled back to specifically target hacking and overloading. Those are the only two reasons that I would ever deny anyone access to the API.

Hello Pri,

Could i just firstly correct you (if indeed you are taking my advice) and using the 2.8b1m4 Metis which was modified by Bide&Musique not Minds.

Secondly, I agree that it is down to you to release script with a license as you see fit. Congratulations on the scripts some are nice others i don't see the point of, however glad your contributing in some way.

My only question is: with Pulse Protection you mentioned that data is passed "encrypted", what kind of encryption is used to protect information? Knowing the rumours of your background and the ability of metis, i must say i think your use of the term "encrypted" is wrongly used? If so may i ask what kind of protection you actually meant?

I can't personally see much of a future for metis. Perhaps in those rooms which are hosted on abandonware servers, but not in the currently developed ones. Perhaps at some point i could discuss this with you privately as i would like to hear your thoughts on a few things.

The data is transferred to and from Metis to the server unencrypted in plain text. But they are stored on the server in the database and signed with the password. I can't even view the contents of peoples information sent and received from the server unless I have there password. I use Pulse Protection in my own room and we share our key with 5 other rooms. If you don't have the password you can't access the data it is that simple.

And I don't know what you mean with relation to rumours about my background. Here is the skinny on me, I joined a room on WinMX. I stayed there for 4 years minding my own business. I have never done anything against others (never cloned, never used proxies in other peoples rooms, never crashed rooms, never ddos'd anyone etc) and these scripts are pretty much the only thing I've released publicly to the WinMX community. There isn't really much more to know. Any rumours that say anything different from the above are untrue.

And I understand that not everyone sees the point of these scripts. But people ask me to make them and they are downloaded so someone wants em.

Personally I don't see a future for WinMX full stop. Beyond Metis entirely. The only reason I've chosen to release things for Metis (and just a single modified plugin for WCB) is because the code is easy to read, modify and use. People don't need to know code to work with Metis and they don't need a compiler. I'm literally just riding WinMX out to the sunset at this point.

Sorry, when i said rumours i meant about your background as in job and skills set. As i said i have been told what you do (did do) but as it comes from a 3rd party it will always remain as a rumour to me.

I must say i am surprised to hear you say "I can't even view the contents of peoples information sent and received from the server unless I have there password." i presume you mean in your room, as anything stored on your server, even in database form, must be viewable to you if you relaly wanted to know. Not that there is really much gain in it for you if you did.

I am disappointed with your view on the future of WinMX but i tend to agree it is not going very far very fast. I can see the chat continuing for many years to come due to the community, even if the file transfers are never back to the best days.

A plugin made that ran metis scripts would be really good i think, especially with the recent addition of plugin support to RSWCS it would give hosts the ability to run the scripts through the server itself with no delay to the server and even the extra resources used would be a dramatic reduction from running robo with metis attached.

Røçkåfë££ë® §kåñK wrote:

Sorry, when i said rumours i meant about your background as in job and skills set. As i said i have been told what you do (did do) but as it comes from a 3rd party it will always remain as a rumour to me.

Okay.

Røçkåfë££ë® §kåñK wrote:

I must say i am surprised to hear you say "I can't even view the contents of peoples information sent and received from the server unless I have there password." i presume you mean in your room, as anything stored on your server, even in database form, must be viewable to you if you relaly wanted to know. Not that there is really much gain in it for you if you did.

I made sure that the data is protected once it arrives. The database stores all the data in a secure manner using the password. Without the password I am unable to even determine one piece of uploaded data from another piece let alone view any of the actual data in plain text. I did this so that even if something was compromised and the entire database was made available it would still be useless without the keys. But to be honest this data is all useless anyway, just Usernames + IP's that anyone can get on WinMX without even making a direct connection.

Røçkåfë££ë® §kåñK wrote:

I am disappointed with your view on the future of WinMX but i tend to agree it is not going very far very fast. I can see the chat continuing for many years to come due to the community, even if the file transfers are never back to the best days.

I'm disappointed too but this is just the way things are. Every year there are less and less rooms on the network. Now there is around 500 with an average of 21 users per room. Even though it loads and says there's 700 rooms many of these are simply rooms running 2 addresses. WinMX has become a ghost town outside of a few rooms.

Røçkåfë££ë® §kåñK wrote:

A plugin made that ran metis scripts would be really good i think, especially with the recent addition of plugin support to RSWCS it would give hosts the ability to run the scripts through the server itself with no delay to the server and even the extra resources used would be a dramatic reduction from running robo with metis attached.

I'd never run RSWCS unless the source was available for each version. To risky otherwise.

Im very surprised to hear you state you wouldnt run RSWCS without the source! you ran WCS, people run FX, ES, ZCS, MCS and even use WinMX which are not opensource. If your happy to run a windows os then nothing much can get any worse?

This topic has been split, due to being totally off-topic,
it was meant to be about Scripts and the conversations between Pri & RockafellerSkank,
but as it was tuirned into an attack on a server, topics was split.