Thoughts on cracking pepsi codes...

[4409723]

I was just wondering about this.

As everybody is aware, much software comes with keys. Often people are able to make keygens to circumvent this protection. In [most, new] online games generated keys do not work as the makers know which keys have been handed out.

Have Pepsi/Apple been this clever or is it possible to write a program that could spew out song codes...

I'm in no way advocating this but it got me thinking.

 

[robbieduncan]

It's simply not possible to be so clever that a code generator could not be written. But given the low tech method of "cheating" why would anyone bother?

 

[4409723]

It's simply not possible to be so clever that a code generator could not be written. But given the low tech method of "cheating" why would anyone bother?

Why do people install linux on iPods? Because they can.

 

[Logik]

if you have decent eyes you can do like me... i can tip the bottle, find out if it's a winner and then quickly read the characters to the code off into a microphone find another bottle and repeat... never even have to buy the product... i prefer coke anyway and yes it is possible as i did it quite frequently during the last promotion

 

[Mechcozmo]

if you have decent eyes you can do like me... i can tip the bottle, find out if it's a winner and then quickly read the characters to the code off into a microphone find another bottle and repeat... never even have to buy the product... i prefer coke anyway and yes it is possible as i did it quite frequently during the last promotion

They are filling up the bottles more this time or something so that people can't do that...

 

[Norouzi]

if you have decent eyes you can do like me... i can tip the bottle, find out if it's a winner and then quickly read the characters to the code off into a microphone find another bottle and repeat... never even have to buy the product... i prefer coke anyway and yes it is possible as i did it quite frequently during the last promotion

Dude that's not cool, I have no problem with you looking through the bottle to see if it's a winner and then buying that bottle, but taking down the code so you can use it without buying it. That screws the person who actually buys that bottle out of their free song. So not cool.

 

[g30ffr3y]

i really doubt they are going to give you more
pepsi per bottle to circumvent the cheating...

over the millions of bottles that little bit extra
would turn into a whole lot of lost $$$ in the budget...

i dont think pepsi gives a flying crap if people cheat...
especially when the other option is giving away free
pepsi...

 

[BLINK]

I tried the tipping the bottle method on a bottle of pepsi I bought the other day. I dont see how people can read the cap by doing that. First of all, once you take it out of the frig it fogs up and secondly, the pring on the cap is so light, its very hard to read.

 

[saabmp3]

There's two ways that they do this. The first is an algorithm to figure out what the code should be on the iTunes web site. The other is that they just generate truly random numbers. I wouldn't put it past them to have a database of the random numbers. Software, unless being activated over the internet (basically only a handful of applications require that) need to use some sort of alogrithm, they can't check against an ever updated database of correct codes. The iTunes store has the advantage of being server side. The database can be updated whenever the bottle is packaged.


I just thought of this. If it is true of an ever updated database, is there a connection to a barcode on the bottle to the code underneath so they can tell when it left the factory? Inventory control is a big business now and this falls right into that catagory.

BEN

 

[Macophile]

They are filling up the bottles more this time or something so that people can't do that...

I've never been able to get The Tilt to work. I think the regional bottlers have enough of a variance among them that a fraction of an ounce more completely obscures the code and a fraction of an ounce less lets you catch a glimpse.

I'm just glad I can find the bottles already. They didn't show up in Los Angeles last year until late March.

 

[JeDiBoYTJ]

They are filling up the bottles more this time or something so that people can't do that...

I was always able to get the tile to work, and every one this year I have looked at, im still able to tilt and see whats a winner.... so I dont think they are putting any more pepsi into the bottles, it would cost them way too much money to go around and change the machines that put the pepsi into the bottle

 

[Logik]

Dude that's not cool, I have no problem with you looking through the bottle to see if it's a winner and then buying that bottle, but taking down the code so you can use it without buying it. That screws the person who actually buys that bottle out of their free song. So not cool.

in all likelihood people aren't even aware of the itunes thing yet. and if you remember the number of people who redeemed caps last time the odds of one of those bottles being redeemed was pretty small. you worry a bit much.. they had 100,000,000 bottles.. i had only a handful of those... lol but whatever, i was simply stating the truth, no one gives a rip except you guys that you wouldn't get your free song. and i was just explaining that it's more than possible to simply find out that a bottle is a winner, you can actually read the code (upside down) ... easy enough

 

[solvs]

I've won 2/2 so far by tilting, but sometimes it's hard to see. Plus, everybody in the store looks at me funny. I'd never bother cracking the codes, because it would suck to the person who did win and can't use their code. I suppose it's possible, but not really worth it for a $0.99 song.

I suppose you could just start randomly entering codes.

 

[4409723]

I suppose you could just start randomly entering codes.

Hm... no thanks.

This is the only winning cap I've seen. If they all follow a similar scheme:

(26^9)*10 = 54,295,036,789,760

200,000,000/54,295,036,789,760 = 3.68358*10^-6

I'll skip my 0.000368358% chance of guessing .

 

[wdlove]

if you have decent eyes you can do like me... i can tip the bottle, find out if it's a winner and then quickly read the characters to the code off into a microphone find another bottle and repeat... never even have to buy the product... i prefer coke anyway and yes it is possible as i did it quite frequently during the last promotion

I happen to have very poor eyesight, so it is very difficult for me to even be sure of a winner prior to purchase. The only way is to find a young person to assist me, that is if i have the nerve to ask. What you are doing is wrong, don't you feel guilty about doing this practice. It could be considered stealing. Do you ever think about the person that actually purchases the product legally will be prevented from getting his free song. after all it could be me.

 

[Logik]

I happen to have very poor eyesight, so it is very difficult for me to even be sure of a winner prior to purchase. The only way is to find a young person to assist me, that is if i have the nerve to ask. What you are doing is wrong, don't you feel guilty about doing this practice. It could be considered stealing. Do you ever think about the person that actually purchases the product legally will be prevented from getting his free song. after all it could be me.

naa no guilty conscience here. they charge $1.39 for a bottle of pepsi around here... screw that crap lol. it's cheaper to buy a 2 liter than a pepsi single. glad all i drink is water anymore, from a tap and as such is free.

 

[NZDave]

Hm... no thanks.

This is the only winning cap I've seen. If they all follow a similar scheme:

(26^9)*10 = 54,295,036,789,760

200,000,000/54,295,036,789,760 = 3.68358*10^-6

I'll skip my 0.000368358% chance of guessing .

I've already made one stupid mistake on the forums today, but I'm gonna risk another.

I think the chance is even less than that, from the 15 or so I've had, it seems any of the 10 characters can be alpha-numerical, meaning

(36)^10 = 3,656,158,440,062,976 (wow, that's a lot)

200,000,000/3,656,158,440,062,976 = 5.4702 * 10^-8

So unless you've got NOTHING better to do, trying to guess might be a bad plan.

 

[Mechcozmo]

in all likelihood people aren't even aware of the itunes thing yet. and if you remember the number of people who redeemed caps last time the odds of one of those bottles being redeemed was pretty small. you worry a bit much.. they had 100,000,000 bottles.. i had only a handful of those... lol but whatever, i was simply stating the truth, no one gives a rip except you guys that you wouldn't get your free song. and i was just explaining that it's more than possible to simply find out that a bottle is a winner, you can actually read the code (upside down) ... easy enough

That was when iTunes didn't have 70%+ marketshare. Now, they do. If I got a bottle that was bad, I'd think about mailing a Pepsi bottle to your house with a dollar taped to it and say "Here. Take it, from me directly."

 

[Logik]

That was when iTunes didn't have 70%+ marketshare. Now, they do. If I got a bottle that was bad, I'd think about mailing a Pepsi bottle to your house with a dollar taped to it and say "Here. Take it, from me directly."

well lucky for you i haven't done it this time nor do i intend to. if i wanted free songs that badly i'd fire up an ftp client and hop on a friends server, much easier. either way, i refuse to buy pepsi products because they cost more for a single than a 2 liter which is totally ridiculous.

 

[Bear]

Ya know something....

Pay a dollar for a bottle of soda (which may not be a winner) I don't like or just pay for the song directly.

I don't think I'm going to be buying Pepsi Products with this promotion. I don't drink Coke products either. I like the smaller brands that still use real sugar instead of corn syrup. (Like Boylan Bottling Company.)

 

[Cybernanga]

i refuse to buy pepsi products because they cost more for a single than a 2 liter which is totally ridiculous.

It's not ridiculous, it's cheaper for pepsi to make/distribute the larger bottles, due to packaging issues. That's why they price them like that.

Whenever you buy anything in bulk it's cheaper than buying smaller quantities.

 

[FosterKanig]

well lucky for you i haven't done it this time nor do i intend to. if i wanted free songs that badly i'd fire up an ftp client and hop on a friends server, much easier. either way, i refuse to buy pepsi products because they cost more for a single than a 2 liter which is totally ridiculous.

Wow, you seem to be taking pride in the fact that during the last promotion you were being a ********ing *******, and in this promotion you've decided not to be. ********ers like you are everything that is wrong in this world. Concerned so much for yourself that you'd **** other people for a dollar. A dollar. We're real proud of you this time, ****chop.

 

[solvs]

Hm... no thanks.

I'll skip my 0.000368358% chance of guessing .

That's why I said but not really worth it for a $0.99 song.

 

[4409723]

I've already made one stupid mistake on the forums today, but I'm gonna risk another.

I think the chance is even less than that, from the 15 or so I've had, it seems any of the 10 characters can be alpha-numerical, meaning

(36)^10 = 3,656,158,440,062,976 (wow, that's a lot)

200,000,000/3,656,158,440,062,976 = 5.4702 * 10^-8

So unless you've got NOTHING better to do, trying to guess might be a bad plan.

We get different values because I assumed there had to be one numerical value in that digit. If it were totally random it would be 36^10.

 

[Logik]

Wow, you seem to be taking pride in the fact that during the last promotion you were being a ********ing *******, and in this promotion you've decided not to be. ********ers like you are everything that is wrong in this world. Concerned so much for yourself that you'd **** other people for a dollar. A dollar. We're real proud of you this time, ****chop.

lol.. wow you are taking this way to seriously. go take a chill pill and calm down. i'm everything that's wrong in this world? i'm certainly not what's wrong with this world seeing as i donate to miscellaneous charity groups throughout the year, might not be a lot but i still give something. i also volunteer at a school where i will be teaching in less than 2 years.

the reason i "stole" from those bottles is simple, it's a freakin code under a cap. if pepsi was at all "worried" about this then they would've changed it. there's 200,000,000 caps out there. the odds of them all being used are very unlikely, the odds of someone getting of those caps that i might "steal" is even smaller. so chill your asses and forget about it, you're all flipping out for no reason.