Licensing by ticks 1

[Bias76]

Hi.

Been working for quite a while now on a project with big intentions on mabey making a buck or two, thus needing to protect it somehow. I have been using Regware component with great success locking the software with license and registrationcodes, but that is not an optimal solution for this project. The application itself is build to recieve pdf-files and process them using OCR. So the optimal solution would be using for example a usb-dongle with a counter, where the customer can buy 1000, 2000, 5000 clicks, rather than locking the program itself. The user needs to buy additional clicks when he runs out, via internet. My question to all of you guys or girls, is there any swift solution to this dilemma, maby using a plain usbstick as dongle? Any suggestions?

Regards.

 

[Glenn9999]

is there any swift solution to this dilemma, maby using a plain usbstick as dongle? Any suggestions?

There really isn't a swift solution to this. My suggestion would be to look into some of the USB flash drive APIs which allow you to write configuration data to the protected area of the disk (basically not visible by Windows Explorer). The problem, though, is keeping it as tamper resistant and foolproof as possible. You increase complexity, you'll increase support costs (basically people claiming they had rights to the program but not getting them).

I know it's not much help, but it'll give you something to start from. I suggest poking around Sandisk's site to find this programming API info.


Measurement is not management.

 

[Bias76]

Thanks for your reply. I will look into that. Another solution would be Not to use a dongle, but using some kind of licensefile instead. In that scenario i need to generate an encrypted file with some information written too it, an ID for the licensefile itself, a machineid locking the file exclusively to that computer, mabey userinformation. This i could accomplish using the file as a lock via the machineid. If the file exists and the machineid is correct, the program can run. ... But how do i solve the counter part without the user copying the file over and over again thus resetting the counter? Pardon my poor english...

 

[whosrdaddy]

Store some encrypted Timestamp related information into the registry and in your file, update this info each time the app is run. when the user tries to reuse the old license file you can detect it is no longer valid. If you want more security write this information on the harddisk also. But like Gleen said: You increase complexity, you'll increase support costs...

Cheers,
/Daddy

-----------------------------------------------------
What You See Is What You Get
Never underestimate tha powah of tha google!

 

[TonHu]

Trouble with writing to a dongle or USB drive is that the number of rewrites can be an issue. Most USB drives have intelligent writing strategies to protect the NAND cells from being torn down by to often rewrites on the same location, but dongle devices usually have the same kind of NAND technology, but without the intelligent rewriting algorithms.
Writing the counter data to a local harddisk file should be the most practical solution, but you would need a proper encryption to avoid tampering.

HTH
TonHu

 

[Opieo]

My question to all of you guys or girls, is there any swift solution to this dilemma, maby using a plain usbstick as dongle? Any suggestions?

I would have to disagree with Glenn that there is no swift solution for this. My suggestion is a completely simple and somewhat counter-intuitive approach to this. It is very swift. Include no protection at all.
Going through all this trouble to protect your software will, in the end, not protect it. No matter what you do, the pirates will find a way to hack your software if it is worth copying. This is something you need to come to terms with before you go through the trouble of implementing a very complex solution. You could even include some DRM to have your program phone home on every start up for verification. That too can be hacked. Nothing is bullet proof from the hackers. And the more complex it is, the greater chance you have of hurting the people who are buying your software. If there is one thing DRM is good at, it is hurting your legitimate customers. As the previous posters mentioned, be prepared for the costs of support.

By not including lots of protection, you are also treating your users with respect and trust, rather than treating them first as criminals that need to be proven innocent.


But, if you still want to protect it, I would very seriously say do not include some extra usb stick as part of the process. That is just begging for additional problems as you are making your software now require additional hardware to use it. You are giving the users something additional that they can lose which would prevent them from using your software. Every person who buys your program that ends up not able to use it, will probably not be your customer any longer if you do not help them out or take too long to help them out. They will go over to the pirate side for any further programs you release that they want. Also, by including a USB stick, when your protections are hacked (and remember, they will be) you are making it so that the pirated version of your program will actually be easier to use than the real one. That is never a good business decision as it is not a good way to compete.

~
“Your request is not unlike your lower intestine: stinky, and loaded with danger.” — Ace Ventura.

 

[Bias76]

Thanks for all your answers. Have been trying to find a solution that would be the best, and mabey, no protection at all would be the easiest of course. At this moment i have been reading about SG-LOCK, an usb dongle with internal counter.

Their homepage states (

http://www.sg-lock.com):

...Especially the SG-Lock® USB gets as "install-free" copy protection solution a high acceptance from users and software companies as well. There is no driver installation necessary, no admin-rights needed and a protected application can even be started from CD-ROM without copying any file (Live-CD). With that software copy protection can be realized fast, effective and user friendly ... - simplicity has advantage!

How about that?

The software consists of one server service where the dongle should be installed. The clients should not be protected at all, and the only thing the dongle should contain is the counter to count usage,... thus needed to be refilled,... need to make money somehow?! Right? ... So how could someone with an idea make some money fair and square?

Regards,...