http://ntcore.com/phoenix.php

This application is now freeware for various reasons. I first wrote the core of the Phoenix Protector for a company when I was 19. That project didn't work out for internal reasons not related to the quality of the product itself. I then wrote the Phoenix Protector, which was basically a new GUI for the now improved core. However, during the years (one has to consider that I was quite young when I developed the .NET obfuscator) I became ever more conscious that I didn't want to spend my life writing protections and also that I was not convinced by protections for the .NET technology in the first place. That's partly why I wrote Rebel.NET. By combining Rebel.NET with the DisasMSIL engine it is very easy to write a code obfuscator for .NET assemblies. The only thing which would be missing is name obfuscation and string encryption, which are even easier as protections. That's why I'm releasing the Phoenix Protector for free: nowadays, writing a commercial obfuscator doesn't make much sense to me. The code obfuscation provided by the Phoenix Protector is quite good when compared to other commercial obfuscators. I noticed that most obfuscator provide a very easy to reverse code obfuscation scheme. I'm not saying that the Phoenix Protector's code obfuscation can't be reversed. Every .NET code obfuscation scheme can be reversed somehow and the rebuilding task becomes very easy through Rebel.NET.

and Daniel how old are you now?

just turned 22 (in February)

i thought you were like 40

it does happen sometimes on the internet

Nice.

CRCETL:
http://www.woodmann.com/collaborative/tools/Phoenix_Protector

he is damn smart guy for 22 years old.. but i wonder since he rlz so much stuff does he ever sleep or maybe twin brother helps him out :P

Smart and talent is something that comes with you when you are born.
Knowledge, discipline, experience and focus comes with the age, but also with years come rigidity, arrogance and inability to think outside the box.

In Mathematics and perhaps in Theoretical Physics, the most revolutionary advances are made by young people or by people during their younger years. . .

I think computer sciences are in the same boat.

The amount of hindrance an old scientist puts on the field is inversely proportional to the amount of innovation she contributed when she was young.

Sounds like Bill Gates, doesn't it?

No, it would have sounded like Bill Gates with an additional plug for Silverlight and IE 8. =)

I can only speak for myself. My attitude towards things consists in always doubting if they should be how they are. That doesn't make life easier, because sometimes one ought to just "let got". One can't put on trial every action or system. But, as I said, that's more attitude than age and I don't think it'll change. That's partly why I entitled my latest application "Rebel.NET". Sometimes it is in fact true that when one's young he's brilliant and then he just fades away. That's the typical Orson Welles case, who never could top his Citizen Kane, directed at the age of 26. But there are other counter examples. The best work written by Schopenhauer was in his late years, for instance. Milan Kundera writes beatiful books even now (the last one is really wonderful). A more entertaining example: George Carlin's satirical work improved over the years and reached its best when he was 60+. So, by quoting Trainspotting, sometimes it's true that "one time you got it, then you lose it and it's gone forever", but not always, there are, fortunately, exceptions. In my opinion, what changes is not our ability to think outside the box, but the will to win, to rule etc. I think the initial strive for success vanishes and sometimes that very strive is the cause for some people to think outside the box. In fact, they want it so badly that they even get to think outside the box. The ability vanishes when they're not "hungry" anymore. But not everybody thinks outside the box just for success, those people will never lose the ability. naides talked about scientists. I can't really talk about them, because I wouldn't know. I'm more an artist than a scientist and, by the way, I could never stand math. =)

NeOXOeN: No, I just take drugs. It works wonde... ARGH *falls dead on the floor*

Daniel. May I ask if you're in education or in full-time employment?
If the latter, what's your secret for getting so much personal stuff done?

Yes, I have free time, no one denies that. But my situation is very complicated to sum up in a few words. This year I had to help my parents with their activity most part of the week. During the day I had enough time to focus on programming, but I worked also in the IT field and even wrote a complete suite of tools for handling my parents' activity.

In 2007 I spent many months working as an editor (film making), but even then I always took 3 hours late at night for development, even if during the day I worked 12-14 hours. At the moment I'm split between computer and film making. And then there's all other things that got in the way (parents' activity, girlfriend (very much time) etc.).

Since you ask, I'll try to reply sincerely, I can write code pretty fast. I have written so much code that I can even write code for 16 hours a day for more than a week. I mantain concentration. I know many developers who cannot keep this rythm, I guess you simply get used to it if you want. But consider also this: this year I have written many more articles because I have written less code (at least talking about 2008). I interrupted the development of the CFF Explorer and rewrote its kernel. I also re-organized the whole concept and will be rewriting the GUI pretty soon.

I have still 2 articles I just *have* to write and hopefully I won't be getting a new idea in this period. That's the problem. Every two seconds I get a cool idea and think "that might be a good article". But between a good idea and an article there are many hours of work. One article that will take me quite a bit of time will be a major modification (or improvement let's say) of the C++ language.

I hope I wasn't too chatty, but my situation is just a mess, I work at many jobs, I'm, of course, still studying lots of things. I'm in a sort of frenzy.