SW Wanted : SystematiChem

[SweNMFan]

Anyone got Systematichem from www.syschem.com

The software calculates retrosynthesis of a compund..

[megalomania]

I see they offer a demo of the software. I downloaded it and it looks like you can register it. I have not played with this too much yet, but if it is the full version a crack would be the thing to get.

[c0deblue]

Looks like a terrific program, but there's no way of knowing whether the so-called Demo version can be patched to a full working version. I did search all the usual outlets but came up with nothing. Syschem is also very cagey about providing information on their website, not even pricing, and no information at all about whether the formula, known reaction and other essential database libraries are supplied with the "full" version (even though these are the ultimate measure of the program's power) or if you have to obtain these on your own. The demo version includes only four Mol files, which can be modified or supplemented, but it's anyone's guess whether you could load the full complement of files even if you could find them.

If the program IS otherwise complete (with the exception of the data libraries), there's still a question whether a patch - at least a first or even second generation one - will work. It looks like they've taken a pretty tough approach to security - everything referenced to the "Machine Number" which I guess is the serial of the hard drive, and seem to have incorporated what I'd guess is a "call home" verification process to check if use is authorized (you have to go online at least to access the Chime resources). They even reserve the right in the licensing agreement to visit your premises at any time to inspect your machines and records to see for themselves, and THAT's not without reason!

Unfortunately, until there are some working versions out there that can be properly "assessed" by the coders, I don't see much hope in the near future. On the other hand, if a full working version can somehow be "borrowed" (hard drive and all) from a big company or university and delivered to the right hands, the kind of verification process I imagine they use shouldn't be much harder to get around than the old hardware dongles. The trick will be finding all the hidden traps they probably built in. Identifying the hooks on lines 7 and 12 doesn't help much with lines 5,973, 7,652, 11,936, etc., or if the process is designed to "mutate" in mysterious ways according to date, number of uses, machine number, variations in the earth's magnetic field .... :D

Not saying it can't be done, but it's likely to be a while.