Re: How to generate a Windows style license key

posting_at_big-numbers.com
Date: 09/29/05 

Date: 29 Sep 2005 06:06:36 -0700

>>>I break your license algorithm along with the license algorithms of 200
>>other programs. I put them on a CD and sell them on the corner for $4
>>each or something. Wow that's hard.

Go ahead collect all the keys you want.
Keybuster.com has it's Key ONLINE so you can just Activate or
Deactivate a Key.
Once you think a Key is being mis-used you can de-activate that key and
the application does not work anymore
cause it uses an ONLINE KEY CHECK.
That's the beauty and difference of that service compared to other
Keygens etc.

There are a number of free services/applications (google, winzip,
adobe, pgp) that initially never made money for a long time,
until they became too big and succesfull.

------------ start snip from source libtomcrypt.org/whatis.html
Why oh why?
This is a question I get asked alot as well. Most people at my college
and in the industry just can't figure out why anyone would give out and
support projects for free with absolutely no license. To answer them I
usually say something quick like "free stuff". But there isn't really
one answer. Here are some common answers that run through my head.

I like coding. Simple as that. Coding things to me is like woodworking
is to a carpenter.
I like giving *** out. People seem to like to use it. Makes me feel
useful. All in all ego booster.
Free stuff. Occasionally I get [but don't demand] free stuff.
Considering the number of companies that use LT projects... I'm not
profiting from this.
Jobs. Helps me land freelance gigs. Could use something stable but I'm
not starving [thanks mom!]
Learning. Specially things like LTM and LTF. I also like teaching what
I learn through the code and documentation.
Oh did I mention the free stuff?
Then people ask me the license question. Well I chose a free license
because I don't expect anything in return. Then they ask why I chose a
non-GPL or BSD policy [I use the public domain btw...]. Simple. I give
out my code so ANYONE can use it. Not just people who share my views.
Some people may not want to share their code to the public. Some may
not want to give me credit. Who am I to force my views on them?

------------ end of snip from source libtomcrypt.org/whatis.html

Sure, you can try it for free (SHAREWARE) or try it only once (Trail
ware) or even receive the source code (GNU or FREEWARE), but in the end
if you have many customers, or very demanding customers you WILL have
to ask money
simply because you will have to pay other people to do some work for
you & others.

Suppose you receive 1000 requests for Libtomxxx every day, every day
over and over again.
What will you do then? You can not handle those requests, even if you
wanted to do that.

Some Possibilities i can think of:

1) you give up
2) you ask people to help you and ask them to do it for free as well
3) you charge money for every request and hire people or invest that
money such a way you can continue your service

I do not think the initial Market Price is ALONE the factor for
success.
Also, the factor for success does not depend whether the
service/product is FREE = GRATUIT
The real factors are always a very complex (marketing) mix of things.

As you stated, success is not something one can grasp, one can only try
to give it the best shot.

Suppose you have 4 kids and a wife. You followed a 3-year study in
computer science and you're hooked and dedicated to programming. You
work 18 hours a day for many years on specific software. Your family is
starving.
I think it is reasonable to ask money for good honest labour.

But.....

I also think is it a crime if you can duplicate your software 10
billion times and sell it to 10 billion customers over and over again
for the SAME PRICE. (Microsoft$) (The question arises should there be
a legal limit to success?)

Is it a reasonable price? Is that good software, Tom?
But is sells like crazy. So it must be the good mix of price and
product....