You can inform the user that you will contact the server as long as they are using the demo version. And just send over the demo-license key combined with the MAC address of their system, nothing more. You can tell them about this too. You then simply check if the MAC address has been used for another demo license key and if yes, check if this was more than 21 days ago. If true, their access will be blocked. Also check if the demo license is less than 21 days old.
By using SOAP, you can have the client communicate with the server in some very simple way, through the HTTP protocol. You could, for example, even create a simple server-side application that functions as an HTTP server, thus you don't even have to have IIS or Apache running on it. That way, it becomes quite difficult to hack into your computer. The splash screen in your application would just notify the user about this. If they chose to block it, you chose to not run. And if they bought it, this validation would not be required anymore, right? You only add this limitation for the demo... With kinds regards, X Katja Bergman. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michał Woźniak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 11:25 PM Subject: Re: [delphi-en] Re: licensing strategies for networks? One thing: I don't like to have a program installed on my box, that communicates through the Net with some server, and I know nothing about it. That's the spyware/troyan way of doing things. At least - be this kind and ask the user BEFORE making any connections. You may well tell him that this is NECESSARY to run the program and without it the program will not run, no problem. But always ask the user. Otherwise - it is just spying on the user. And that's no good. The first thing I do when I discover that some program is making unsolicited (that is, of wich I was not informed) connections - is uninstalling it and forgetting about it. No spyware allowed on this particular box... Cheers Mike Dnia czwartek, 2 czerwca 2005 22:35, katja_bergman napisał: > Hi, > > Ever used the product called XMLSpy? It has a similar feature as what > you are looking for. It checks the local network to see if there are > as many copies running (at maximum) as the user has licenses. Thus > for a company it becomes difficult to use the program on two systems > at the same time if they only have once license. > > But if they use it on two different computers that have no direct > network connection then this will just fail again. > > A better option could be to include a call-home feature. Create a web > service on your own website and let the program "call home" when it's > started up. That way, you can also inform the user of any updates of > your software or maybe provide some simple patches. > With the call home, you can also send e.g. the MAC address of the > system(s) that are used by these potential customers. Link those MAC > addresses with any registration keys that you have and if you notice > that they use a different demo key from the same old MAC address, you > know they are trying to break your protection. > Basically, you block them from using your software after 21 days > because after 21 days your webservice tells them that this machine is > not allowed to continue to use this program any further. Means they > either have to replace their network card or use a different > computer, or just purchase it. > And basically, it means you have to store ABSOLUTELY NO information > on their system, that they could crack... > > Isn't that a good idea? :-) > > With kind regards, > X Katja Bergman. > > > > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > Home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ > To unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ___________________________________________________________ How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com ----------------------------------------------------- Home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ To unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links ----------------------------------------------------- Home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ To unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delphi-en/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
