[JMI]

I agree with dyn!o on this point. The goal here should be to help others learn how to think about the problem, not give them a solution. While something may be learned by studying another's soultion, it doesn't really teach how to extend the mind into seeking creative solutions to problem solving.

It's a variation on the old expression: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will eat for a life time."

You need to learn "how to reverse engineer software" not be given a crack. Hinting at areas to investigate may advance that goal. Telling you to follow step 1, then step 2, then step 3, really "teaches" you nothing, when the next program comes along and has re-ordered the problem into step 1, step 3, and then step 2. You need to begin to understand what the software is doing so you can recognize it the next time to see it, or a variation of the same general concept.

In this instance, it is the difference between YOU looking at the software, attempting to analyze what YOU see, and YOUR drawing conclusions. THEN ask for possible confirmation that YOUR conclusions are correct, rather than asking that someone explain THEIR solution to YOU.

Here you ask the questions: How does it connect to the software website to confirm I'm not a bad cracker?; when it connects, what information is it attempting to confirm?: what does it do when it confirms whatever information it is looking for?; what does it do if it doesn't confirm whatever information it is looking for?; where in the code and in what manner does it do these things?

Now you can begin organizing a PLAN of analysis. You start with a question about how it might connect to the software company FTP. This leads to investigation of how making an outside connection might work and what programs might help YOU determine that. Learning that would give you a lead into what might be found in the software to alert you to when and where (in the code) that is happening.

For example, if you aren't connected to the net, is there a warning that you "must be connected" for the program to operate correctly? If so that warning must come from inside the program somewhere and must have gotten to that warning message from somewhere in the code. Now you have something specific to look for and then you can try to trace where the program jumped to that message and THERE you probably have something to do with FTP connecting, right?

And looking at that code and where it leads should get you to the area where some check is executed and/or where there is some crypted code. At least now you have a mystery to investigate.

That is what is interesting about reversing. The challenge of FINDING A SOLUTION. YOU don't accomplish ANYTHING by pushing a button someone gives you, which makes the program work. THINK about it.

Regards,