From: David Day <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
If an ISV doesn't use a key tied to a date and a machine serial number,
what other mechanism is there to insure there are no pilfered copies of the
ISV's product running somewhere, and the ISV doesn't have a clue? From a
user's perspective, if the ISV is timely in his delivery of license keys,
why is it a big deal?
I don't see it as being a big deal either. When a customer licenses a
product, they are given a key. A year later (or shortly before the license
expires), the customer receives an invoice. If they pay the invoice, they
get a new key. The customer replaces the old key with the new key (e.g.
enters it in a flat file or ISPF table or whatever). Nothing needs to be to
compiled/linked/refreshed/IPL'd (etc). It just takes a couple of minutes to
enter the new key, and the customer is good to go for another year (or
whatever the renewal term is). How is that a big deal?
The only issue I can see is what happens when an unscheduled change of a
CPUID occurs, such as might occur in a disaster situation. If the software
is "mission critical" (i.e. needs to be up and running the very minute the
switchover to the new CPUID occurs), it should already be licensed to run at
the disaster site. Or, the software can display a message such as "This
product isn't licensed to run on this CPUID", but will still run anyway
(perhaps with limited functionality). This gives the customer time to
acquire a new key, and everyone is happy.
Dave Salt
SimpList(tm) - The easiest, most powerful way to surf a mainframe!
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