MetaQuotes Warns Brokers About Illegal Plugins

Poacher turned game keeper, or genuine gate keeper looking to protect 'reputation'?



This week we saw the ‘writing on the wall’ in our comments when a MetaQuotes representative expressed that a third party technology provider that we had written about violated the MetaTader license agreements. Explaining themselves and what was being done wrong, they added:

“No Modifications: You will not undertake, cause, permit or authorize the modification, translation into other languages, creation of derivative works, reverse engineering, decompiling, disassembling or hacking of the MetaQuotes’ Software or any part thereof. You will also not create other software based on the MetaQuotes’ software.
Not adapt, reproduce, enhance, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or otherwise modify or engage in any other similar manipulation of the System or any portion thereof without the Licensor’s express prior written approval.”

(For its part the provider offered its own answer and even expressed to us that they have been trying to reach out to MetaQuotes.)

Following on that warning shot, MetaQuotes has posted on its admin site to brokers and partners that:

“Unfortunately, some brokers and third-party developers do not pay attention to MetaQuotes Software Corp. license agreements and keep implementing third-party components to the terminals, as well as modifying distribution packages.
Therefore, we have to raise this issue and recall several conditions:
• paragraph 2.3 of the license agreement for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 client terminals
No Modifications: You will not undertake, cause, permit or authorize the modification, translation into other languages, creation of derivative works, reverse engineering, decompiling, disassembling or hacking of the MetaQuotes’ Software or any part thereof. You will also not create other software based on the MetaQuotes’ software.
• subparagraph of the license agreement for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 trading platforms (“Rights and Obligations of the Parties” section related to the Licensee)
Not adapt, reproduce, enhance, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or otherwise modify or engage in any other similar manipulation of the System or any portion thereof without the Licensor’s express prior written approval.

We strongly oppose the inclusion of any DLL/EXE files in the client terminals, forced activation of DLL calls with changes in the program’s default settings, as well as modifying distribution packages.

We earnestly ask all our clients to withdraw from using modifications. Only conventional distributions are allowed for use.

There has obviously been some friction recently between the platform provider and its third party eco-system as MetaQuotes has launched competing products. However, with the exception of individual cases, this is the first time that we are seeing a broad general announcement taking place.

While the specific reasons why MetaQuotes is now coming out against what it believes are illegal providers, it is worth noting that this week, many MetaTrader brokers including Alpari UK, Markets.com, and LMAX all suffered trading glitches on the platform. According to insiders, brokers were told that there were conflicts between their plugins and MetaQuotes settings that created a software conflict. As such, it would make sense that MetaQuotes is seeking to create some sort of standardization among its broker system.

When discussing MetaTrader glitches with several bridge providers in the past, they had mentioned that they believed that while there are valid complaints against the platform, brokers can’t complain when some ‘off the shelf, untested plugin that they buy from an unknown programmer’ causes their servers to fail.

Looking ahead, it will be worth watching what effects MetaQuotes campaign has on brokers and whether it leads to them launching a more accommodating partner system.


http://forexmagnates.com/metaquotes-...legal-plugins/

wtf are they going on about?!!!

They oppose DLL's?

Funny thing is, the new MT4 buy/sell button was bought from these guys (i think), but are they 'illegal' by creating derivative works?

the way that reads to me is that they don't want BROKERS fucking about with their product. brokers should not be tampering with the software.

They implicitly make the umbrella generic:

But then they say:

Just not sure to whom this applies? Are Joe Public developers tethered to this agreement? If i create a DLL, is this considered a 3rd party 'component'? Don't know how you'd modify their distribution packages, so i presume that bit does apply to brokers.

The only difference i've seen in MT4 between brokers, is where they append symbols eg EURUSDx, and can insert their server locations, which must be a plug-in provided by metaquotes allowing brokers to customise the release and do other stuff

Perhaps you're correct and it's only brokers; i need to re-read the license but legalese is meant to obfuscate.

yes they've given themselves a broad "out". but if you follow the links you'll see where there are claims that certain plugin providers have reverse-engineered proprietary protocols and whatever else. that seems to be where / when metaquotes got the shits.

Very simple. As Metaquotes becomes more mainstream they want to come clean.
In the beginning those "illegal pluggins" are what made the software valuable to the bucket shops.
MT4 is being adopted by "reputable" firms and they do not want to be associated with the shady history.

Once this has been settled, I would like it made public the list of plugins approved and their functions.

It should be transparent.

They've been incredibly slow on the uptake, perhaps they're facing forms of threats and or legal action?

Many wish it was true! I think that MQ wants to control the plugin stuff itself - it's another source of cash flow for them. A win-win situation, they make more money by developing the plugins themselves AND making sure those plugins are fully compatible with MT, hence avoiding any PR disasters. The shady stuff is still a broker's choice - if they want to be clean then they become clean, if it's the shady stuff which makes them profit, they'll carry on with the dirty tricks.

http://service.mail.com/callgate-6.6...bc0bfc24830537