Time limits for demo's

[RJHollins]

Hi tester,

Maybe a misunderstanding ...

I do have a nice 'routine' already implemented into my project to handle the 'demo' mode. In 'demo' mode, the app is interrupted every so often [polite 'nag' screen], then clears back to working app. A simple 'serial number' registers the app. This is working fine, but is not the ideal strategy I was first looking to do.

The 'ideal' I attempted was to have a 21 day trial demo that would allow someone to test without interruption. After the trial period, the app would switch into 'nag' mode.

The way to do this was more than my programming skills could do at this point in time. Also, being that my app is a VST plugin, the complexity to do this was taking too much time to develop a working example.

What caught my interest in this thread was the 'RAMP' prim. This is something I've not used in any project, but have read mention of it, so I was interested to learn more about it.

Thank-you for the example you posted. The 'SLIDE' prim is another that I've yet to use. All this is very helpful, so thank-you!!

As to the 'subject' side ... I have heeded the advice to keep a very simple 'protect' method. I'm fine with that. However, if I can learn a better way to do things, I'm all for that.

Just to clarify ... the 'disk re-format' comment was directed solely at the 'hacker'.

[Drnkhobo]

Hey Mr.Hollins,

not having a dig at your method of serial number here, but whats to stop one of your customers giving his serial to his buddy?

[RJHollins]

Hey Mr.Hollins,

not having a dig at your method of serial number here, but whats to stop one of your customers giving his serial to his buddy?

nothing.

I thought of using the 'network card' code as a reference to a specific machine, but the topic raised issue that seemed troublesome.

Maybe a 'better' [practical] way will come up

[Nubeat7]

its a big discussion about copy protection, and any way when your software gets hacked it must be wanted by people, or? it also is spread over the hacked software sites so it is good advertisment to, or?
a good copy protection is a real serios thing, which will need a lot of time of developing, so why not buy a professional protection? if you sell you software whith wordpress you can buy addon with license keys like this http://www.woothemes.com/products/software-add-on/

no time wasting to implement a license key system, just focus on your software...

[Nubeat7]

i also thought about the way fs is doing it buy it and you get your full working version, no serial no extra registration over the net no nothing just install and use it, also the renoise devs took this way, its a kind of " i bought it - they trust me to not leaking my licence, its based on fairness and thats a reason for me to not leak it, specially when it is a fair price too" on the other hand when you get pissed off because you have to send some 30 digit license keys around the net and at the end it is not working the first time because you did something wrong, or you have to reinstall your software and need to ask to get another key for your new machine, do all the things again just to get your already paid software running - that is a real pain in the a.., normally i never buy a peice of software from companies like that because for me it to much stress .. i really hate this..
and the question about fair use its much different then... people normally tend to use the easy way and use a cracked version then - just because its much more easy to get it work on your machine.. specially when your machine isn`t connected to the net...

[Drnkhobo]

" i bought it - they trust me to not leaking my licence, its based on fairness and thats a reason for me to not leak it, specially when it is a fair price too"

I get you 100% here, but i mean cmon, its the real world. i guess im a pessimist when it comes to us humans. I know its FAR easier to give your license to your buddy when the vendor doesnt check if the serial has been used before. . . so the serial means nothing & people are like that in this world! . . . . ahhhhhhhhh WAIT. lets not go into a long discussion here right guys. I can already feel it brewing & bubbling!

Drnkhobo wrote:Hey Mr.Hollins,

not having a dig at your method of serial number here, but whats to stop one of your customers giving his serial to his buddy?



nothing.

I think no matter what someone will crack it if they want to right, so id say make it hard for most "normal" users. So its got a little more than serial number check. But how without locking to system (hardwareID) or over the net (serial checker) . . .

[tester]

...and there are various hardware IDs you can get here as far I remember.

[RJHollins]

That's more or less why I went with a simple protect
Routine. I can't stop the hackers, and to pay for pro
Protection would be more cost to me.maybe down
The road this would be a consideration .
Since my app is a one off (maybe a bug fix or 3), there's
Not I feel I can do. The 'specific' machine approach
Needs to much tlc for me ... Really don't want the
Hassle.

The only positive/ incentive is to have a client list
That can be placed in 'preferred' list for special price
On next product (should this one get off well).

Overall, it'd be nice for enough support to pay for FS updates
and cost of website. That would be a positive

Still. If the programming discussion could focus more
To practical ways to separate a demo mode, rather
Than the notion of free or donation ware as the only
Course to follow, we could work toward a reasonable
Solution.
Just my opinion

[tester]

Both are interconnected.

More practical?
Post your examples/schematics for protecting FS apps.

[Drnkhobo]

Mr,Hollins I see only two options left then:

You can have a serial system which needs net access (you gotta give a little to take a little) to verify if the serial is valid & has NOT been used before . . .

OR

Like before, a system ID to lock the plugin to . But this requires a file to be sent back & forth between u and customer. (he sends you his ID & u get a unlock file based on that ID)


Doing either wouldnt be too hard. only the net part of option one. . . that can be tricky if you dont know HTTP POST commands. (as far as i know its the only net prim, excluding network ones- maybe there is a solid way here?)