licensing question

[kfenner]

I have read other threads on here relating to licensing, etc..but haven't found the specific answer I am looking for because I am so new to all of this. I have also searched Corel's site, but it hasn't been helpful.

I own WP Office 2002 Pro, my office also owns a copy of it. It is my understanding that if you own this, you also have access to Paradox runtime which may be distributed with applications royalty free. I have been developing an application which I would like to convince my office to use. I know cost will be an issue. They only have a few licenses for users for Office Pro and probably won't want to buy anymore. (at this time, only a few of us use WP or Paradox)

First question is: Do I need to purchase a license other than what I have from purchasing the program package, to distribute my application to my office? Second question: will my office, as an end user, have to purchase licenses to install and use runtime? Also, since they own the software, can they use their version of runtime, and my application without having to purchase anymore licenses for users in the office?

Any help and guidance would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[footpad]

kfenner,

No, no, depends on the version they own.

Try thinking of it this way: I have a license for Paradox and create an application with it.

I give you the application and Runtime (so you can run it). Because I have a valid WPO 2002/Pro license, I don't owe Corel any royalties; the WPO 2002 Pro (Runtime, actually) license covered that.

You don't owe Corel any royalties for that either; however you do owe me whatever I feel is appropriate for the license to use the Paradox application I developed.

Now, you discover you have a WPO 2002/Pro license. This means that you can now develop your own Paradox applications and then distribute them with Runtime to whoever you want.

But you can't do that with my application unless I've already given you permission to do so.

And neither of us can distribute Paradox itself to anyone without first buying a full WPO/Pro license to pass along with it.

The license with Runtime works exactly the same with Delphi, Visual Studio, or any other software development environment.

The only difference between Runtime and Paradox is that developers can give runtime to the people who want to run the developer's applications without having to buy Paradox for themselves. (Well, OK, there are a few minor differences two, but that's the main reason for Runtime in the first place.)

Hope this helps...

-- Lance

 

[kfenner]

Ok, I guess the question I am trying to ask is, if I hold a license and distribute my application with Runtime to my office, they can use it on however many computers they wish without having to purchase anymore Corel licenses, like they would have to if they wanted to install the entire Suite on every computer.

But, when I purchased WP Office Pro, do I now have a license to distribute Runtime, or is that something separate I need to buy from Corel and how do I do it?

Thanks.

 

[footpad]

kfenner,

I'll try to be as clear as I can.

1. You buy a Runtime development license (e.g. WPO 10 Pro.

2. You create your application, bundle it up, and give it--along with Runtime--to as many different people as you like.

3. They can copy what you gave them if (and only if) that's acceptable to the licensing arrangements you make with your application's users.

Any existing licenses they have for Paradox, WPO, or even Runtime really don't enter into the equation. The Runtime license is for you to distribute your Paradox applications with the stuff needed to run them.

4. They cannot use their copy of your Runtime license to create new applications or distribute new Paradox applications they create from your work. In this case, and in this case only, they would need a Runtime development license of their own. As long as they're only copying the work you created for them, they don't need to give Corel anything.

5. No one can use any Runtime license to copy WPO or any of its applications (including interactive Paradox). Period.

6. If your office user's happen to have a Runtime license, well, then then can develop and distribute their own applications as much as they like. It really doesn't affect your license of your application.

I really don't know of many other ways to say it. Runtime lets you create and copy your work as many times as you like without further royalties on your part or those of your clients. If you wish to charge your users, that's a different story, but they don't directly owe Corel anything.

As far as how you do it, well, there are instructions with Runtime, though they're a bit sketchy. The basic idea is you create the tables and the supporting documents (forms, reports, scripts, etc), bundle it up, and then create an installation process.
The DB Community offers a couple of articles on commonly used installation packages. See

http://thedbcommunity.com/code/innoinst.htm

for a free one and

http://www.thedbcommunity.com/faq/12.htm

for some notes on using InstallShield.
I hope this helps.

-- Lance