Need Marketing Ideas

[pungy]

I am going to try something I have never done before. I am in the process of writing an application that I am going to try to sell. I need marketing ideas. For example, should I offer it as Freeware with limited use--30 days? Should I offer it as freeware with certain features not working? Should I offer it as Freeware at all?

The application is written in VB 6. Does anyone know how I can write the code to disable a application after so-many days?

Any ideas will be considered.

Thanks,
Sam

 

[OrthoDocSoft]

Sam,

Some thoughts:

To me, the concept of freeware and "trial period" are incompatible. If it's free, it's free.

I like trial periods, which, to me, obviates the need to hamstring the app by denying features during the trial period.

My code:

1) Calls my website with the client's hard drive serial number (HDSN) when the app starts up for the first time.

2) Writes the HDSN and the start date in an access database, on first use.

3) Periodically (every time the app starts, or as often as you like) calls the website sending the HDSN and today's date. The website returns whether use is still valid or not. If yes, then the code executes; if no, it ends. It should be quite hard for a hacker to change the start date on your site's database. You may need to have some server-side scripts to accomplish this.

Alternatively, you could write the start date to the registry and check against it there. If you are worried about tampering, you could encrypt it to/decrypt it from the registry.

Hope this helps.

Ortho

"you cain't fix 'stupid'...

 

[pungy]

Ortho:

Could you send me an example of writing to the registry? Sorry to say, I am not that knowledgeable with VB. I have looked at code (via google) to do it but I didn't see where the "write" or "read" was being done.

Thanks,
Sam

 

[PeterWallace]

OOOPS !!!!!

I know m/c's are reliable ... ( choke )


Bad Disk .....

of Course backup has been done .....


Restore .....

Oh Dear ... wrong Disk No ....


there are better ways


Peter

 

[pungy]

PeterWallace:

I may be "thick headed" but I can not follow your post in reference to my question about reading/writing to the registry.

Please reply and explain.

Thank You,
Sam