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Let us say that you wrote an app, that happens to contain ads, for Android or some other OS. Also, you are the sole developer and tend to take a little longer that you thought you would for updates or adding new features. Some of the users get impatient on waiting for you to update, and decompiles your app to make their own changes to it, thus removing said ads and possibly breaking the app in unknown ways. They also decide to share their version with others. What would you do? Would you slap a lawsuit on them or just let them do it? Keep in mind, this is not an Open Source app.
CLWPROGRAMMER
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First, why would you write an app containing ads ?
«One day it will have to be officially admitted that what we have christened reality is an even greater illusion than the world of dreams.» Salvador Dali
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Presumably to annoy people into paying. See Yahoo! Mail. 
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There is a way to remove the ads. Lets say that to remove ads, it is a $.99 per month subscription. You do this, so you can get up enough revenue to be able to possibly hire other developers for quicker updates.
CLWPROGRAMMER
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BillWoodruff wrote: First, why would you write an app containing ads ?
Exactly, when instead you could be playing RAID SHADOW LEGENDS. RAID SHADOW LEGENDS is an amazing free to play RPG with fantastic graphics and a deep, rich combat system. Sign up using my link below and get 500 free gold coins and a legendary hero!
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It's a copyright violation. Whoever did it is being unethical, so a lawsuit would not be immoral. However, I'd try to get them to take down the pirated version first, although this may prove difficult given that it's already been shared.
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Unless that app was the source of a substantial portion of my income, I might consider letting it go. Once lawyers get involved nobody wins (except the lawyers of course). But sometimes the threat of a lawsuit gets the job done. your case is made more difficult due to the app being shared with an unknown number of people.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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clwprogrammer wrote: What would you do?
I think that you can write your own cease-and-desist letter and send it via a carrier that provides 'proof of delivery' (photograph of signature). You can then use the signature in the courts if you ever needed it. You should probably ask a lawyer for legal advice.
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This, but it slightly depends on the EULA you have with your application, plus any copyright notice.
Generally speaking, an informal approach is generally your best bet initially; explain that your business depends on income from your software and when people copy it you are directly impacted. If they deny everything just mention your evidence, again in a not accusing way. If they still appear to be non-compliant, then a more formal cease-and-desist letter with POD as above. Escalate to a solicitor's letter, which won't cost much and simply mentions legal action. Actually going to court is expensive, stressful and can damage your reputation so avoid unless you think you'll (a) win and (b) at least get your costs back!
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Here is the thing. The app isn't mine. The developers of said app are located in Korea. I am unsure as to their laws pertaining copyright stuff. There were some users that de-compiled their app, thus removing the ads. There were only 3 developers for the app and this was the source of their income. They have had to cut back on updates due to lack of funds, so are having to take on other projects. A group of us have tried defending the developers, but it hasn't been doing much good as the Developers aren't exactly in contact with us.
CLWPROGRAMMER
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Now ... you tell us !
If the app has been cracked, modified, and the pirates got a hold of it ... game over.
«One day it will have to be officially admitted that what we have christened reality is an even greater illusion than the world of dreams.» Salvador Dali
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So none of your business then.
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how is going after a criminal, immoral? Why are we even having this conversation.
CAUTION: The coffee in this cup is extremely hot!
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You're asking several questions of morality.
Is it moral to add ads?
Is it moral to not maintain the app?
Is it moral to decompile someone else's work?
Is it moral to decompile someone else's app because they fail to update it?
Is it moral to post that new version of the app?
Oh, the tangled apps we write. Oops, did I just violated copyright? 
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The only way to "fight" it (without deep pockets) is more releases with desirable features. Carrots versus sticks.
I originally thought of a single "Anthology" edition; instead, I'm on my 5th app (of an implied series). Divide and conquer.
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
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Gerry Schmitz wrote: The only way to "fight" it (without deep pockets) is more releases with desirable features. Carrots versus sticks.
And with a bit of protection agains decompiling?
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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It's all the fault of the Da Vinci Code 
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Ada Lovelace[^], arguably the first person to practice our profession.
Software Zen: delete this;
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For a minute there I was wondering what the devil you thought we did for a living. Then I realized I was thinking of the wrong Lovelace.
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Same here. 
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To give you an idea of how times have changed, and just how ungodly freaking old I am, back when I was in college the group that managed activities for the student center used to show movies every Saturday night. One weekend the movie was Insatiable, starring the redoubtable Ms. Lovelace. My wife and I went as she was taking a class in human sexuality at the time and going to the movie was worth extra credit. The center was packed and the audience was pretty rowdy, which actually made it more fun. Almost 40 years later, I still remember one of the best ad-lib lines from the audience, when a guy wearing an eye patch walked into the scene:
"![Elephant | [mastadon]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/elephant.gif) 'em in the eye!"
Software Zen: delete this;
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Hi all,
Has anyone found this?
Lately I travel a lot to one of my customers company and when I log into my computer, usually in front of one customer Skype and/or Slack appear full screen showing all my contacts and call history.
I've searched the Internet on a way to avoid this, but I've not found any.
Have any of you found this behavior? and if you have, have you been able to avoid it?
Thank you all!
![Beer | [beer]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/beer.gif)
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I explicitly disable all microphones, cameras, no Google period, no automatic Window Updates, no Norton / McAfee anything, no telemetry, etc.
No unidentified background activity until / unless I request it.
Skype, Outlook, etc. all have to be started manually. Just about everything in "Start up" is disabled.
Windows Defender is the only thing that has mostly free range.
It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food
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