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Web Content Security.5600

John29 private msg quote post Address this user
Hi,
please excuse my lack of technical jargon. Sorry this is not specifically about matterport.
Background:
I created a virtual tour, using DSLR camera, stitched (painfully), created a VT (Virtual tour) using Pano2vr and hosted the VT on my webpage with my web hosting service on a server in Amsterdam.
The link to the VT was provided to the organisation for whom I made the VT for. They used my link and embedded it into their website in an iFrame. Nice.
Present:
3 months have passed and I decided to update the VT *skin* (customisations, like share buttons etc that overlay the VT)
I noticed that the updates did not show on the VT on the organisations website.

After a few attempts I came to my senses, and checked the source code on their website.
I found that they had the source of the VT pointed to their own server.

They have all my VT components minus a few media files. I lost control of my VT.
How did they do it and how can I protect my VT's from cloning/copying/ in the future?

Regards
Post 1 IP   flag post
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Atlanta, Georgia
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user
@John29

Thanks for the backstory.

Check-out ThreeSixty Tours. You continue to own and control your 360º photo spheres (equi-rectangular jpgs).

You might also consider a 1-click 360º Camera. With some of these 360º cameras, you can let the camera do the stitching – or have the option of getting the original RAW files – and you do the stitching.

Best,

Dan
Post 2 IP   flag post
Frisco, Texas
Metroplex360 private msg quote post Address this user
@John, You can lock the flash portion of the tours to specific domains with Pano2VR. Unfortunately, it only applies to the flash versions, so what you might do in the future is output with 'prefer Flash' and donation control that just to be annoying.

Add Domain Control to Flash Version:
https://ggnome.com/doc/pano2vr/5/output-flash/

Enable domain lock – Enable this option when you wish to secure your
panorama only to specified domains.

Domain - Enter the domain to which the panorama can only belong. Separate multiple domains with a comma: www.gg-sw.com, www.nytimes.com.

Message - Insert a message that appears if the panorama is displayed in a domain other than what is listed in Domain.

--

I imagine that you could deter your client from extracting and republishing the tours by injecting domain control code into the html5 version. If they are determined enough, they could likely break that.

Even some highly motivated people in China and Russia have figured out how to republish and self host Matterport tours. The downside being that not only do they miss out of the benefits of Matterport's lightning fast CDN, but as new features are added by Matterport including Mattertags and WebGL VR, these clones become inferior and the value of self hosting comes into question.

Why do you think that your client went through the effort to self host? Could you potentially offer self hosting as a service with an additional fee so that items such as the media files can still remain in the tour for your client while you recoup Prentiss hosting revenue?
Post 3 IP   flag post
Lincoln, NB
PointCloudVR private msg quote post Address this user
@Metroplex360 , I really enjoy reading your posts. The information you share has been invaluable and I just wanted to let you know I appreciate it.
Cheers,
Aaron
Post 4 IP   flag post
John29 private msg quote post Address this user
@DanSmigrod thanks for the link about the 1 click cameras, I have my eye on the iris 360pro that is supposed to come out in November. I am Waiting for sample pictures,
Post 5 IP   flag post
John29 private msg quote post Address this user
@Metroplex360 thanks for the info about flash, I had seen that feature on the output options but had decided to use HTML5 as it is my understanding that flash is on its way out entirely and to be honest I had no idea they could so easily reproduce the VT for themselves by copying the source code. I am ignorant to all things coding!

About injecting domain control code into HTML5, if it is possible I did not find any info searching through google. If you have a link I would be happy to check it out.

You are exactly right (about self-hosting matterport tours) in my case now the organisation cannot get my updates and improvements. (there are always errors as a beginner)

Why did the client go to the effort to self host?
I don't know to be honest, perhaps he realised it was a necessary as it was a government organisation (the VT was of an events centre run by a local government organisation in a small town) and they have rules to adhere to, or perhaps after I turned down his request for the files he decided to give me the silent finger although he kept my logo on the VT, (I read somewhere that If someone published your original content without informing you but still indicated you as a source, this does not constitute plagiarism.)
He should have at least informed me.

In the future I must consider using an HTML Code Obfuscator, but I don't know mush about it.

Regards
Post 6 IP   flag post
Frisco, Texas
Metroplex360 private msg quote post Address this user
@John29 You are indeed correct about Flash. I used Pano2VR for many many years when the flash option was optimal and the HTML5 was a fallback for the iPad .

Injecting domain control into the Javascript and then obfusticating the javascript code is something that Garden Gnome Software really might consider implementing rather than having users do it... an example of a service that does this is: http://javascriptobfuscator.com/

If someone is highly motivated, they will find a way to rip off content.
Post 7 IP   flag post
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