Was I ever in a shock when I got this message. Just recently, I was browsing a forum and a well known marketer was mentioning how he was able to buy Adobe software for a very cheap price online.
Now these software applications normally cost hundreds and this site was advertising that you could buy it from them for an extremely cheap price. As a result, the person in question began to publicly share this site on the forum as he felt it would benefit others as well. I get spam e-mails like these all the time too and know that it is not exactly a pure offer.
Now for myself I am very knowledgeable about this and figured that the person was duped into buying it. Essentially, the person is buying a sort of backed up copy of the software which is how the company gets through the legality of it. Afterwards, the buyer must go through non legitimate means to actually activate it which the company states they are not responsible for if the buyer chooses to do so.
So, I politely sent him a private message informing him about it and even semi joked that I was a techy who knew a lot about these types of charades. By golly, and this was the response he sent me initially:
I said a valid copy. All I care is that the suite Authroized and is working. WTF do I care whether it is so called legal? Maybe you pay retail for technology over and over. Good for you idiot.
Techie geek that you asshole.
I was so shocked not only based on the fact that I was genuinely trying to help him, but the fact that the person was no doubt very successful financially which seemed so out of character based on the image he portrayed. I then responded with the following:
Why are you attacking me so rudely? What I wrote was to genuinely help you as that is an illegal copy, so to speak, and it is posted on a forum where I’m sure many ppl would think this is a valid licensed item they are purchasing. It will be almost as if (snip name of company) is condoning this practice and thought that I would let you know personally first incase you thought that it was a “legal” copy and hence I simply informed you that I am a very knowledgeable person when it comes to technology.
But if you are fully aware that it is illegal, which makes it not “valid”, and still choose to use it then please disregard what I wrote. It’s almost like saying counterfeit clothing might be wearable and all but that product is not legitimate. Similarly, if you linked to something telling me I can buy this brand name clothing for $2 I would probably assume you meant legitimate in every way.
Aren’t you suppose to be one of the first few (snip name of title in the company) too? I still can’t believe the response I just read……..
Sure enough, he responds with an even crazier remark:
Becasue you’re transparent. I really don’t like passive aggressive people. Like you.
Toal bullshit. You’re splitting hairs in an attempt to impugn me in some way. Don’t fuck with me buddy. I’m smart and wise.
Blah blah balh. Get a clue. Almost EVRY successful web author in the (snip name of company) uses black hat and grey hat techniques to achieve measurable success. Stop pretending you’re naive.
Shut up already you passive agressive freak.
Oh go cry to (snip name of company management) or whomever you like you worm.
I was and still am one of the founding (snip name of company). I’ve helped (snip name of company) bank TENS of MILLIONS. And I’m still adding to that. I can guarantee nobody will duplicate or surpass my work. EVER. Unless you can turn back time and compete on a playing field that will never exist again. Pionners are called pioneers for a reason.
The CS3 suite is running awesome. I’m taking course work now to learn how to use it well. I don’t care if you think it is legal or not. Or anybody else including Adobe. Get it?
You’ve wasted way too much of my time already. Leave me alone now please.
Sincerely – (snip name of person)
Holy cow. What can I say? I am speechless. This is like those situations where you are genuinely trying to help someone or are simply asking them a question. Then all of a sudden they just blow up implying on how you are trying to accuse them of something. Not only that, but he then updates his post to add this disclaimer stating the following:
How much more confusing can you get in terms of like a split personality? Makes me wonder if this will be a situation too where companies are afraid of doing anything at all since the person as he puts it generates TENS of MILLIONS of dollars. Then again, he is just an affiliate marketer I guess you can say for the company and so it is kind of a separate personal issue I suppose between him and Adobe.
What is really disturbing to me personally about all this is how someone can feel that they are so invincible, so to speak, because they are well off financially. While I am personally not like a multi-millionaire by any stretch of the imagination thus far, I’ll be sure to never let money create that type of a personality out of me.