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As it has been said, the FileOpen plug-in is a legitimate plug-in for Acrobat, and it is the client-side plug-in for the FileOpen DRM system.
Pointing to Adobe when a DRM plug-in is missing in the installation is also correct, because that is the only location Adobe (as the maker of the application) can control. Adobe does maintain a directory of plug-ins (not only for DRM), but they do not redistribute them. Instead of that, they redirect you to the download location which the maker of the system has communicated. Now, it is not uncommon to use services for distribution of software, instead of your own server, mainly if the software maker is not that big (bandwidth etc. considerations).
So far, everything is OK. In order to check things, you could also get the information about the document. If you have access to a Windows box, you can even read out the PDF permissions for that document in the file information window.
On the other hand, it is definitely in the interest of the game maker to control/protect the redistribution of their manuals. It is most likely that you would have had to be on-line for getting the unlocking key for your document (and with that also register the game). Therefore, the whole setup is not that a bad idea at all, because the manual might be more important than the game itself. So, that might be their attempt of copy protection (which is definitely legitimate).
One thing you might check before you attempt to return the game is checking the contents of the CD and see if there is a file named fopen.api (for Windows), or a specific installer for the documentation (which would have checked whether and which Acrobat installation is present, and then made the installation). It could also be that you have more than one Acrobat variant installed on your machine, and that the plug-in got installed into the "wrong" installation...
And, if you are really paranoid, you might contact the makers of FileOpen and ask if the game maker is a legitimate customer of theirs ... but you would have to do a careful wording, in order to get an answer...
In any case, you would have to deal with the maker of the game. However, accusing another software vendor of spreading malware is not necessarily a good start...
Hope, this can help.
Max Wyss PRODOK Engineering Low Paper workflows, Smart documents, PDF forms CH-8906 Bonstetten, Switzerland
Fax: +41 1 700 20 37 or +1 815 425 6566 e-mail: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.prodok.com
[ Building Bridges for Information ]
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Shameless Plug:
My next conference appearances and workshops:
• Conference presentations at the 2004 Symposium of the BFMA, May 23 to 27 in Reno, Nevada (http://www.bfma.org) and pre-/post-conference workshop, May 22/23 and 27, organized by essociates Group (http://www.essociatesgroup.com/AdvancedAcrobatForms.htm)
• And, as always, available for on-site workshops/tutorials/consulting.
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Please, I'm a 47 year old man. I understand the need to protect one's property.
You're missing the point, which is that, I've already purchased the right to use it.
I'm not being paranoid, I just don't like obtrusiveness, especially when a/ I've
already purchased the product b/ It says one thing, does another -- with NO
explanation, I might add. I'm reasonably sure, that the producer is testing the
waters, so to speak. So, I'm going to let them know how I feel, and vote with
my pocket book by returning it. I'm sure any thinking person, wouldn't like the
way this works.
Like I said, bush league. BTW, it's NOT porn, it's an action game, that I
purchased. It wasn't cheap either, being that I purchased it, as soon as it was
released. It's the first time I've seen this on a game manual, as I tend to
play them regularly.
I suspect you probably have a vested interest in DRM. Is this so? Doesn't
matter, just thought I'd ask. Being a programmer, I don't think I'm being overly
paranoid or upset with the way this was implemented.
Anyway, enough. I'm already decided what I'm going to do. :)
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