[TwoNineFive]

Josip is being hyperbolic. This does not brick or change his devices.

I am going to defend Prolific here and say they are probably doing the right thing. I use FTDI, Prolific, and other similar serial adapters on a daily basis and Chinese ripoffs are a problem. I want to know right away if the device I bought is a fake.

The people selling the devices, usually Chinese vendors on Aliexpress or Amazon, DON'T CARE that they are selling fakes, and probably even know they are selling fakes.

The only way Prolific can get these guys to stop is to get the end-user pissed off enough to do returns and leave negative reviews. Aliexpress sure isn't going to take their listings down, and Amazon has proven they don't care either (actually they demand bribes to take fake merch down).

Josip's anger is misdirected. He bought a cheap fake chip, knows it, and wants his free ride.

[josephcsible]

> I want to know right away if the device I bought is a fake.

This is definitely a reasonable thing to want, but Prolific could have done that in a much better way, either by just giving a warning and still allowing the clone to work, or by only triggering when a device is first set up, not just suddenly after it's been in the field and working fine for years.

> The only way Prolific can get these guys to stop is to get the end-user pissed off

I'm not okay with being used as collateral damage for some company's brand enforcement efforts.

> He bought a cheap fake chip, knows it, and wants his free ride.

The article says "I bought device without knowing it has a fake chip in it." Are you accusing him of lying?