Re: License Enforcement

From: Bill Unruh (unruh_at_string.physics.ubc.ca)
Date: 07/17/03 

Date: 17 Jul 2003 16:36:21 GMT

Leythos <void@nowhere.com> writes:

]In article <bf01ip$mk6$2@arachne.labyrinth.net.au>,
]spambait@federal.gov.au says...
]> Hi all.
]>
]> We've been asked by a client to develop a method of license enforcement
]> for some software they've developed and intend to sell. Their software
]> is an Access app ( yeah I know ... not particularly secure, but they are
]> the customer ) but we intend to build some OCX objects, maybe in Perl,
]> and re-use parts of it in later projects in Linux.
]>
]> I'm currently researching our alternatives. I have NO experience in
]> this, so if I say something stoopid, go easy OK?
]>
]> I've already checked out some commercial implementations - none of which
]> are cross-platform - which isn't necessary but is a big one of our
]> wish-list, so I'm now looking at the option of doing it in-house.
]>
]> I've pretty much decided to use a product-activation scenario, where an
]> installation ID is made from a combination of hardware IDs and some
]> other stuff we can pull from the system. This will be encrypted and sent
]> to the license provider ( eg via email / phone / something ) and an
]> encrypted activation key will be created.

]As I've read, the people are saying that your customers will hate you.
]While I'm sure that customers will be upset when they have to do an
]install in the middle of the weekend or night, if you overcome the need
]to contact you for reinstalls then it's a non-issue.

]I suggest that you follow the hardware/user ID method, then make a file
]that they can export and save so that if they have to reinstall on the
]same computer they don't need to call you. Make it so that a key is
]saved on Diskette.

]If you pick something like CPU type/speed, Hard drive, Memory, Video
]card, OS - let them change any one without a reset.

And what would be the prupose? anything someone changes teh cpu, almost
all of those are liable to change as well-- since if you are upgrading
of fixing a dodgy system you will change more than one thing. And if you
can change any of them what is their purpose?