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Software Licencing

by JimmyRose
8 replies
Hey guys
In the midst of developing some software, and I've hit a bit of a block for licensing the thing. I mean generating keys and activating it on a server etc. The only good option I have found requires a Windows based server and SQL on the top end, which we don't really want to do.

For those who have developed software, have you used some kind of readily available package or just written it yourself? Things like Bookmarking Demon, Incansoft, SENuke... any idea what they use?
#licencing #software
  • Profile picture of the author Neil Morgan
    have you used some kind of readily available package or just written it yourself?
    I wrote my own and it has worked flawlessly for years.

    It's not that difficult to do.

    Cheers,

    Neil
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  • Profile picture of the author HorseStall
    Most developers use a combination of methods to protect their software. There are a number of different things you can do from having a separate downloads for trial/registered version completely to using keycodes locked to the subscriber information. The methods of protection are not often discussed openly in public forums for obvious reasons.
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    • Profile picture of the author theemperor
      To keep to a budget I wrote my own. Mine doesn't connect to a central database though, but it wouldn't be that hard to implement with PHP. Simply have a script to which you post the license key and email and it shall return a validation token.

      I didn't bother with a central license DB because if a software cracker can get around licensing they can easily fool the app to think it has received the OK from the server too. So there is no security advantage in doing this.

      The only thing the central DB does prevent is a user sharing a key with a friend, but you have to weigh up that versus the hassle of it.
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  • Profile picture of the author KlikApps
    I'd definitely recommend creating your own.

    I've built them using PHP/mySQL on my server and the application just connects to it, but as theemperor said, it's kind of a hassle. Having something in-app keeps things pretty simple.
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  • Profile picture of the author Neil Morgan
    Some customers don't like software that has to connect to your server to work. They're rightly worried about what will happen if you go out of business.

    So an "in app" solution is probably best. Don't forget to build in a way to allow you to disable the software if you need to (eg chargeback).

    Cheers,

    Neil
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    • Profile picture of the author xiaophil
      I mentioned some solutions in this post.

      It's a balancing act for sure. What language/framework did you use to develop it?

      So an "in app" solution is probably best. Don't forget to build in a way to allow you to disable the software if you need to (eg chargeback).
      Wouldn't an in-app solution still need to connect to a server to disable the software?

      Phil
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  • Profile picture of the author Neil Morgan
    Not if it's web-based and you know its URL.

    Cheers,

    Neil
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    • Profile picture of the author JimmyRose
      Cheers for the responses!

      We are developing in C# and the server end is php/mysql. Like I mentioned in the first post I found a great option but it requires ASP/SQL on the server, which we don't want to do.

      Users are going to have to connect anyway because most of the benefits are going to come from updates from a central DB. We jsut don't want them to have to always be connected. Thinking something like make them connect every X days else software reverts to a 'basic' mode. That way it can still be used offline.

      I wouldn't even know where to start for generating my own licence keys to activate the software in just basic mode. Making them connect every few days shouldn't be too hard, just need to give users their own API key and track some kind of machnie code to make sure it isn't being distributed.

      Looking into some of those options now xiaophil, cheers.
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