Hi Guys,

   Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their applications from
being copied and/or used unauthorised use?

   I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with Clipper and it has
come across to Windows fine but I'm curious as to what others are using.

Regards,

Ian

--

"Ian Branch" <branch@sitathome.net> wrote in
news:CFE02513-6025-4815-B54F-B70FBF1726B2@news.elevatesoft.com:

> Hi Guys,
>
>      Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their
>      applications from
> being copied and/or used unauthorised use?
>
>      I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with
>      Clipper and it has
> come across to Windows fine but I'm curious as to what others are
> using.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ian
>

Ian,

 I don't know about the experts, but I'm taking the plunge into
releasing software to the outside world rather than just to "captive"
clients, and I'm trying out mxProtector, which is freeware, and probably
good enough for my purposes:

http://www.maxcomponents.net/components.html#PROTECTOR

I'm just not very sure how to make getting a licence key as painless as
possible for the users.

Probably setting a number of days (real used days, not calendar days) for
the trial version, with reminders as they enter the last few days so they
can contact me before it expires.

--
Chris
(XP-Pro + Delphi 7 Architect + DBISAM 4.25 build 3 + EDB 1.00 build 6)

Ian,

To protect the exe from reverse engineering we use ASPACK (also makes the
exe 2/3 smaller). Our server side software we install at customers sites by
getting a 'key' from the machine with Onguard components from Turbopower
(now opensource), so that it only runs on that machine. This way copies
can't run on other machines / sites.

Regards, Harry

"Ian Branch" <branch@sitathome.net> schreef in bericht
news:CFE02513-6025-4815-B54F-B70FBF1726B2@news.elevatesoft.com...
> Hi Guys,
>
> Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their applications
from
> being copied and/or used unauthorised use?
>
> I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with Clipper and it
has
> come across to Windows fine but I'm curious as to what others are using.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ian
>
> --
>

Chris

The TurboPower OnGuard component is Open Source so you don't
have to pay for source.

Jon

Chris Erdal wrote:
> "Ian Branch" <branch@sitathome.net> wrote in
> news:CFE02513-6025-4815-B54F-B70FBF1726B2@news.elevatesoft.com:
>
>> Hi Guys,
>>
>>      Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their
>>      applications from
>> being copied and/or used unauthorised use?
>>
>>      I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with
>>      Clipper and it has
>> come across to Windows fine but I'm curious as to what others are
>> using.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Ian
>>
>
> Ian,
>
>   I don't know about the experts, but I'm taking the plunge into
> releasing software to the outside world rather than just to "captive"
> clients, and I'm trying out mxProtector, which is freeware, and probably
> good enough for my purposes:
>
> http://www.maxcomponents.net/components.html#PROTECTOR
>
> I'm just not very sure how to make getting a licence key as painless as
> possible for the users.
>
> Probably setting a number of days (real used days, not calendar days) for
> the trial version, with reminders as they enter the last few days so they
> can contact me before it expires.
>

A recent purchase I made requires you to email them the mac address of
the network adapter and receive a key based on that address. If your
network adapter/motherboard fails, you have to mail them the hardware
and it has to have a sticker that identifies the mac address or else you
are out the $900. The jerks don't disclose this until you are midway
through the install. Turns out that my motherboard doesn't have a mac
address sticker on it and doesn't have a slot for a network adapter so I
had to buy a new computer to install the software on. Grrrr...

So, don't do it this way. It really pissed me off. If there was a
competitive product, I would have gone elsewhere for this reason alone...

Jim Margarit


> Chris
>
> The TurboPower OnGuard component is Open Source so you don't
> have to pay for source.
>
> Jon
>
> Chris Erdal wrote:
>> "Ian Branch" <branch@sitathome.net> wrote in
>> news:CFE02513-6025-4815-B54F-B70FBF1726B2@news.elevatesoft.com:
>>> Hi Guys,
>>>
>>>      Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their
>>>      applications from being copied and/or used unauthorised use?
>>>
>>>      I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with
>>>      Clipper and it has come across to Windows fine but I'm curious
>>> as to what others are
>>> using.
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Ian
>>>
>>
>> Ian,
>>
>>   I don't know about the experts, but I'm taking the plunge into
>> releasing software to the outside world rather than just to "captive"
>> clients, and I'm trying out mxProtector, which is freeware, and
>> probably good enough for my purposes:
>>
>> http://www.maxcomponents.net/components.html#PROTECTOR
>>
>> I'm just not very sure how to make getting a licence key as painless
>> as possible for the users.
>>
>> Probably setting a number of days (real used days, not calendar days)
>> for the trial version, with reminders as they enter the last few days
>> so they can contact me before it expires.
>>

I too, don't like software that is tied to a computer hdwe.
I guess it's OK for big operations like Microsoft that have the
infrastructure to support re-activation when the hdwe changes.
But the possibility of a smaller vendor disappearing and leaving
me with software that won't work is always troubling.

Jon

Jim Margarit wrote:
> A recent purchase I made requires you to email them the mac address of
> the network adapter and receive a key based on that address. If your
> network adapter/motherboard fails, you have to mail them the hardware
> and it has to have a sticker that identifies the mac address or else you
> are out the $900. The jerks don't disclose this until you are midway
> through the install. Turns out that my motherboard doesn't have a mac
> address sticker on it and doesn't have a slot for a network adapter so I
> had to buy a new computer to install the software on. Grrrr...
>
> So, don't do it this way. It really pissed me off. If there was a
> competitive product, I would have gone elsewhere for this reason alone...
>
> Jim Margarit
>
>
>> Chris
>>
>> The TurboPower OnGuard component is Open Source so you don't
>> have to pay for source.
>>
>> Jon
>>
>> Chris Erdal wrote:
>>> "Ian Branch" <branch@sitathome.net> wrote in
>>> news:CFE02513-6025-4815-B54F-B70FBF1726B2@news.elevatesoft.com:
>>>> Hi Guys,
>>>>
>>>>      Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their
>>>>      applications from being copied and/or used unauthorised use?
>>>>
>>>>      I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with
>>>>      Clipper and it has come across to Windows fine but I'm curious
>>>> as to what others are
>>>> using.
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> Ian
>>>>
>>>
>>> Ian,
>>>
>>>   I don't know about the experts, but I'm taking the plunge into
>>> releasing software to the outside world rather than just to "captive"
>>> clients, and I'm trying out mxProtector, which is freeware, and
>>> probably good enough for my purposes:
>>>
>>> http://www.maxcomponents.net/components.html#PROTECTOR
>>>
>>> I'm just not very sure how to make getting a licence key as painless
>>> as possible for the users.
>>>
>>> Probably setting a number of days (real used days, not calendar days)
>>> for the trial version, with reminders as they enter the last few days
>>> so they can contact me before it expires.
>>>

 After screwing around with other Delphi security tools, I finally got
tired of it all.  No immediate registrations with credit card purchase.
Having to manually create the software keys.  Forcing the user to create a
"license file" and email it to me.  The security software going months and
months with no updates or upgrades.  The hassles of manually tracking
commissions.

 I didn't want to use any external files and I wanted something that was
seamless, required a minimum of trouble, provided unique serials
automatically, locked those serials to single computer automatically, was
constantly being updated, and automatically handled commissions.

 While a little pricey, I found Software Passport
http://siliconrealms.com/index.shtml

 Software Passport works perfectly with Delphi and integrates with
RegNow.com to provide hardware locking with unique serials.  Their affiliate
program means my program is featured and sold on websites all over the
world.  Commissions are handled automatically.

 My program can also be advertised and sold through Microsoft's Digital
Locker although their commission is quite high.

 I am very happy with Software Passport and it couldn't be easier to use.

Cheers,
David



On 2/10/07 4:46 PM, in article
CFE02513-6025-4815-B54F-B70FBF1726B2@news.elevatesoft.com, "Ian Branch"
<branch@sitathome.net> wrote:

> Hi Guys,
>
> Just wondering what the experts are using to protect their applications from
> being copied and/or used unauthorised use?
>
> I've been using the SoftwareKey stuff since I started with Clipper and it has
> come across to Windows fine but I'm curious as to what others are using.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ian

Just wanted to second the SoftwarePassport suggestion.  I've been using Armadillo (its predecessor) for several years and am very pleased with it.