Foreign Correspondent from Belgium
No Run-Time, Wow
In an interesting move to stave off software pirates, DeveloperExpress has made a new trend: Ship design-time sources and no run-time BPLs or DCU.
You can look, but you can't touch (and make an EXE).
You can drag and drop the component to the DFM but you cannot create an EXE file. I'm sure TMS/LMD/1stClass and other component vendors will do this.
The first company I can think of is FastReports. Suppose if people can create reports and unable to create an EXE unless they pay for it. Then sales will shoot-up through the roof.
Technique:
1) Create Run-Time and Design-Time packages. Do not combine.
2) Only ship the design-time into trial.
3) Do not ship any run-time DCUs, run-time BPL or anything.
4) When people ask why they cannot create any EXE, just refer them to pre-compiled Demos in the \Samples or \Demos directory.
5) If they need an "Extended Trial", just say that everything is there for them to see. Nothing hidden.
6) If they need to buy sources, the sweet spot seems to be US$149 without full sources, minimum US$800 with sources. Make sure you give a phone call to the US$800 customer in case it is a fraud.
On sale:
4) Asprotect the Design-Time BPL and ship partial sources (w/o Run-Time BPL and design-time BPL sources). Do not give the run-time BPL.
5) Give hardware specific keys to the Design-time BPL. That way, person releases BPL, you can find who did this.
No Run-Time, Wow
In an interesting move to stave off software pirates, DeveloperExpress has made a new trend: Ship design-time sources and no run-time BPLs or DCU.
You can look, but you can't touch (and make an EXE).
You can drag and drop the component to the DFM but you cannot create an EXE file. I'm sure TMS/LMD/1stClass and other component vendors will do this.
The first company I can think of is FastReports. Suppose if people can create reports and unable to create an EXE unless they pay for it. Then sales will shoot-up through the roof.
Technique:
1) Create Run-Time and Design-Time packages. Do not combine.
2) Only ship the design-time into trial.
3) Do not ship any run-time DCUs, run-time BPL or anything.
4) When people ask why they cannot create any EXE, just refer them to pre-compiled Demos in the \Samples or \Demos directory.
5) If they need an "Extended Trial", just say that everything is there for them to see. Nothing hidden.
6) If they need to buy sources, the sweet spot seems to be US$149 without full sources, minimum US$800 with sources. Make sure you give a phone call to the US$800 customer in case it is a fraud.
On sale:
4) Asprotect the Design-Time BPL and ship partial sources (w/o Run-Time BPL and design-time BPL sources). Do not give the run-time BPL.
5) Give hardware specific keys to the Design-time BPL. That way, person releases BPL, you can find who did this.
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1 comments:
The moment you give the source code out of the house right you are done.
I know I am repeating myself...
Again also under .net people be careful a friend of mine's company was subject to 'fraud'. No one can prove but looks similar. I think they use now the RO Obfuscator ... at least the next time. This was not a situation - put it out in public - code reverse engineering is good for getting to know the logic and the project you working on can be abandoned ... also if the contract did forbid decompilation. You cannot trust anyone today also not IT department from companies in Scandinavia, who we here in Austria had always seen as very confidential.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOFk3qVlElk&feature=related
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