3 ms·

I must be missing something obvious. What's malicious about the word "keygen"? What's the issue with ssh-keygen? gpg --gen-key?

• solardev 3y ago
  Back in the day, paid software used to use serial keys for activation. Keygens made valid reg keys using the same algorithm so you could pirate software easily.
• franky47 3y ago
  Piracy. Programs that generate activation codes for proprietary software are called keygens. They usually come with interesting musical accompaniments.
  • megous 3y ago
    Keygens may or may not facilitate piracy, but they're not themselves piracy. This is just some ridiculous NPM policy. What will be next? Cracks?
  • distortionfield 3y ago
    Yeah what was it about keygens always having the most unhinged synth soundtracks
    • franky47 3y ago
      It sparked a whole new genre, Demoscene. I miss those days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene
    • NamTaf 3y ago
      It's part of the demoscene culture, which overlaps a lot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene
      • Etrnl_President 3y ago
        https://files.scene.org/ https://files.scene.org/
  • dyingkneepad 3y ago
    > musical accompaniments Can someone please explain this to me?
    • Suppafly 3y ago
      back in the old days, keygens were a way for hacking groups to show off, so they had cool graphics and played music.
      • namtab00 3y ago
        | back in the old days Thank you for my daily memento morì.
• bitwize 3y ago
  "Keygens" are programs that generate valid product keys in order to crack software copyright protection. Under the DMCA or similar laws in many other countries, they are illegal to use, create, or distribute.
  • Etrnl_President 3y ago
    Jokes on them, I run a keygen almost daily, for software I don't have, because I like the cool chiptune.