talkmagic.co.uk

For text, why not just use Flash to display it (with text selection off) and fetch the text from a mySQL database via PHP (or a lesser server-side language)?

Downloading the swf wont contain the text or the DB login details and therefore they wont be able to access the text. Most of all, it's easy!

I'm not all that bothered about making sure that something can't be torrented and to be honest, I think your idea would probably put me off buying. If I had to have a internet connection in order to watch\read something that I'd bought, I don't think I'd bother. All my books, at some point or another have appeared on download sites, I don't like it but it's one of those things that happens.

I'd be more worried about ensuring that what you were selling was original and not just a rip off of someone else's work. Also, if I was going to think about selling my work through your site, I'd want to make sure that you had a good reputation for selling high quality material, I wouldn't want to be associated with a site that was known for substandard work. Have you thought about how you'd go about ensuring originality (something that's far harder than you might think) and quality checking everything that you sold?

Lady of Mystery wrote:I'm not all that bothered about making sure that something can't be torrented and to be honest, I think your idea would probably put me off buying. If I had to have a internet connection in order to watch\read something that I'd bought, I don't think I'd bother. All my books, at some point or another have appeared on download sites, I don't like it but it's one of those things that happens.

I'd be more worried about ensuring that what you were selling was original and not just a rip off of someone else's work. Also, if I was going to think about selling my work through your site, I'd want to make sure that you had a good reputation for selling high quality material, I wouldn't want to be associated with a site that was known for substandard work. Have you thought about how you'd go about ensuring originality (something that's far harder than you might think) and quality checking everything that you sold?

I so agree with this.
And I want to add: I recently bought some password protected PDFs, which I wanted to read on my Kindle. It took me just few minutes to unprotect them and convert (although the conversion didn't work so well, but this is due to the MOBI standard and has nothing to do with protections).
So, please, PLEASE: don't bother with DRMs and content protection systems: they can't hold a determined person and they more than likely cause unnecessary hassle to legit customers.

On balance, the initial idea seems to have more problems than benefits......

I don't want to put you off. Its great to be at the forefront of technology and one day you might find something that really works. Keep at it and Good Luck.

One point I would make is that the more you describe how your site's security works, the easier you are making it for hackers and criminals.
You are saving them a lot of wasted time by telling them which doors are locked and what is behind those doors.

The security doors and windows to my house will put off 99% of burglars.
The alarm should deter 0.5% of burglars.
the remaining 0.5% dont know about the <deleted info> I have installed.

Discombobulator wrote:One point I would make is that the more you describe how your site's security works, the easier you are making it for hackers and criminals.
You are saving them a lot of wasted time by telling them which doors are locked and what is behind those doors.

In cryptography and related fields you ALWAYS have to assume that the method is public: security through obscurity (as noted before) doesn't work. Besides, if you share the info, you are more likely that mistakes will be pointed out and, in general, the safety of the system improves...

DaveM wrote:For text, why not just use Flash to display it (with text selection off) and fetch the text from a mySQL database via PHP (or a lesser server-side language)?

Downloading the swf wont contain the text or the DB login details and therefore they wont be able to access the text. Most of all, it's easy!

Yeh but i hate MySQL because hackers = SQLi and it's ridiculously easy even if its not a hosted webpage to be targeted.

Mandrake wrote:On balance, the initial idea seems to have more problems than benefits......

yeh we'd run a Beta to start off with and work on things, maybe offer a reward for bugs to put people off stealing and go towards giving...

Forget magic, design me a new website for my photography.

CharlieFox wrote:Yeh but i hate MySQL because hackers = SQLi and it's ridiculously easy even if its not a hosted webpage to be targeted.

I develop for an e-commerce website firm and data security is paramount. I assure you that mySQL is only hackable if you make websites with poor security or you set up your server incorrectly. I think you have some learning to do.

buy 2 very large alsations and sit them next to your computer............... security sorted

Lenoir wrote:Forget magic, design me a new website for my photography.

I did email the admin asking if i could make a post offering a special deal for all Talk Magic customers, I was going to offer Site Design, Domain & Hosting for £199 or eCommerce Site, Domain & Hosting for £399

Both are including VAT.

DaveM wrote:

CharlieFox wrote:Yeh but i hate MySQL because hackers = SQLi and it's ridiculously easy even if its not a hosted webpage to be targeted.

I develop for an e-commerce website firm and data security is paramount. I assure you that mySQL is only hackable if you make websites with poor security or you set up your server incorrectly. I think you have some learning to do.

Well of course i do...

But i run multiple sites and just last night had 1 of my VPS's come under attack by around 18,000 bots... Didn't even scratch the surface xD

CharlieFox wrote:Yeh but i hate MySQL because hackers = SQLi and it's ridiculously easy even if its not a hosted webpage to be targeted.

Then sanitise your inputs properly. You should be checking everything that comes from or goes to the client side.

CharlieFox wrote:

magicrob wrote:Hi Charlie,

You may like to provide some details of previous sites/marketing expriences etc., so that folk here can see where you're aiming.

I see you're only 16 at the moment, which I'd have though is a little young to have too much experience in this area, but I applaud your ambition, and hope you're able to make a go of it

Hey,

I'm working on my personal site but have college work/exams interfering with everything

Though I have a few videos on YT under http://www.youtube.com/user/VertigoProductions1" target="_blank

From previous video creation, though i didn't work on marketing them properly

If your pushing this as a business the quality needs to be much higher. The videos have spelling mistakes. They don't look like anything people couldn't make themselves. They also don't actually say anything about what your actually doing. Then there is the pepper video, which should probably be deleted if you want it to appear like a real service. It just doesn't look professional.