Stockfish clones in the AppStore: it's becoming a plague...

[tiger]

New UNBELIEVABLY cheeky cloner in the AppStore: Nguyen Thi Yen, publishing "Chess-HD" today...

Here's a screen of "his" program:

iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chess-hd ... 76474?mt=8

Now here's one of Tom Kerrigan's "tChess Pro" program:

iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/t-chess- ... 45501?mt=8

As you can see, there are some "slight" similarities... The guy actually published Tom's screenshots as his own. As I didn't want to pay $2.99 to buy this clone or whatever it is, I have no idea if this is tChess. But Tom, whom I contacted, thinks it might be Stockfish, as it weights 7.1mb just like SF, when tChessPro weights 1.6mb. He'll contact Apple.

Incredible, shameless scam.

Stupid guy, his dev contract is going to be quickly ended by Apple.


I would like to ask you, or anybody with insight about the issue, about the disappearance of an app called CHESS™ who had a stunning ressemblance to Shredder.

A few facts about this app:
- it has disappeared from the App Store on May 25 at 16:00GMT, which is approximately the same time my 2011.03 update has been released
- the icon and a screenshot can still be seen here: http://www.appolicious.com/games/apps/6 ... m-ssmd-e-k
- the guy was giving his own app fake 5 stars reviews every day
- I suspect him to have posted really nasty reviews to other chess programs, including mine
- I had warned him by email but did not contact Apple on the matter (I would have done it eventually anyway)
- I believe it was using the Stockfish engine (but I'm not really sure)

I do not know what happened to this app, which was anyway more than borderline on a few points, and I would really like to know.

Please note that I'm not asking for its comeback on the Store.



// Christophe

[JuLieN]

Hi Christophe,

I just took a look at those two programs again, and yes, at first glimpse the playing interfaces are quite similar. But not at second glimpse: all the menus are different, they're not chained the same way, etc... I didn't compare the engines though.

If he got kicked out of the AppStore it probably was because of the fake reviews: Apple automated the tracking of such practices and react immediately when they find a cheater. Good riddance.

The AppStore is really a crook jungle! :/

[tiger]

Hi Christophe,

I just took a look at those two programs again, and yes, at first glimpse the playing interfaces are quite similar. But not at second glimpse: all the menus are different, they're not chained the same way, etc... I didn't compare the engines though.

If he got kicked out of the AppStore it probably was because of the fake reviews: Apple automated the tracking of such practices and react immediately when they find a cheater. Good riddance.

The AppStore is really a crook jungle! :/

That's very good news. On the other hand I wonder how they can do that automatically. It's only by reading the reviews and other reviews posted by the same reviewer that I was able to discover that the guy was cheating on a regular basis. He posted 5 stars review for his app once or twice a day.

I thought he was getting away with it because Apple could not assign enough people to the task of monitoring reviews for 425,000 apps.

Where did you get this info about automatic detection?


// Christophe

[JuLieN]

Here, for instance:
http://www.macgasm.net/2011/04/19/game- ... mmer-face/

If you want to cheat the AppStore, you'll have to be very smart.

Also, since iOS 4.3, it is forbidden (and impossible) for someone who got a free voucher for an App to review it in the AppStore.

[Darrel Briley]

The AppStore is really a crook jungle! :/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/08 ... ected_app/

Run by crooks, it seems.

DB

[tiger]

Here, for instance:
http://www.macgasm.net/2011/04/19/game- ... mmer-face/

If you want to cheat the AppStore, you'll have to be very smart.

Also, since iOS 4.3, it is forbidden (and impossible) for someone who got a free voucher for an App to review it in the AppStore.

1. There is nothing new or specific in the link you posted. The rule has been in place for a long time and recently Apple has said it will more actively enforce it. That's what the article you have quoted just repeats. I thought there were more specific and discussed examples of where the hammer had landed.

2. It is still possible to use "vouchers" (promo codes) to download an app and then post a review. I know because the guy I was talking about had been doing it even after it was supposed to be impossible and because recently at least one of my beta testers has done so (which I believe is legitimate) and the review has appeared and is still on the App Store.

No offense intended Julien, you sounded like you had some more specific info, that's why I asked.


// Christophe

[JuLieN]

Good news everyone: for $1.99 you can now buy a version of the otherwise free Stockfish, called...

Chess Pro HD

iPhone screenshot:


iPad screenshot:


iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chess-pr ... 53840?mt=8

I still think that selling a free GPLed open-source engine is highly unethical....

[Lion]

What engine does it use ?

[kinderchocolate]

Stockfish... There were a couple of cloners trying to compile the old Stockfish 2.2 iOS a while ago on Stockfish's forums. I helped them to compile... And recently, I've seen a tons of new Stockfish apps. Last time, I counted 4.

[gleperlier]

Opensourse = smart guys helping others to make money.

This is applicable to IT, Chess.. every things...