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Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
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Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
This is one for the lawyers. Tell your client, fine, he can have a hardwired site license, as long as he posts a bond of $5,000,000, which he will forfeit if any of the hardwired apps escapes into the wild. Another alternative: use a dongle thumb drive.
Best wishes, Hans
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Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
Just say what any good consultant would say, sorry, that's not possible, feel free to pay the person that told you is possible to do it for you.
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 beta 2 - out now!
((lambda (x) `((lambda (x) ,x) ',x)) '`((lambda (x) ,x) ',x)) -
Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
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Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
Santanu Lahiri wrote:
1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network.
not even the internet? must be a military or intelligence (i.e. CIA, NSA) installation. if so, do not walk, RUN away
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Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
Santanu Lahiri wrote:
The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application.
As someone else said, they can do that, if they post a significant bond. Licensing exists for a reason.
Santanu Lahiri wrote:
The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network.
Santanu Lahiri wrote:
The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC.
At this point, I'd tell the client that I'm happy to entertain their request, but what they've asked for has made me feel they are sufficiently clueless that I'd want that bond AND a written statement absolving me from all tech support.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
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Our company has an application that run on a (Gasp!) Windows environment. We put a license key in it that expires periodically, say a year, and needs to be renewed. By the way, the stuff is a DLL that is called by the client's application, and the key is passed to the DLL by the client's app when loading the DLL (client requirement, our app will not have access to the registry or have admin privilege!). One of our client proposed to install this on a hundred PCs in their site. We were happy to say yes. The client was quite willing to pay the annual licensing fee. Then came the gotchas: 1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network. 2. The client will NOT consider connecting them to a network, not even to let us remote in. 3. The client is not willing to go around to each station and copy a new application onto the PC. 4. The client is adamant that they need to hardwire the license key into their application. 5. The client requires that all updates and patches be applied as they are released. Uhhhh, did we miss a turn or something somewhere?
Not a problem, all it takes is money. If the client will post a bond and pay for you to supply a gopher to install any updates then I don't see the issue. The client is always right, but must pay for variations on standard service. Stupid requirements cost stupid amounts, make them bleed for the variations.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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This is one for the lawyers. Tell your client, fine, he can have a hardwired site license, as long as he posts a bond of $5,000,000, which he will forfeit if any of the hardwired apps escapes into the wild. Another alternative: use a dongle thumb drive.
Best wishes, Hans
[CodeProject Forum Guidelines] [How To Ask A Question] [My Articles]
Hans Dietrich wrote:
Another alternative: use a dongle thumb drive.
they are as good as registration keys, may be slightly better. I use to work for Life Safety Manufacturer and our app had dongle keys. There are plenty dongle simulators out there. Off course this is not as easy as software registration key for the age guy to figure out or configure.
Yusuf Oh didn't you notice, analogous to square roots, they recently introduced rectangular, circular, and diamond roots to determine the size of the corresponding shapes when given the area. Luc Pattyn[^]
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This is one for the lawyers. Tell your client, fine, he can have a hardwired site license, as long as he posts a bond of $5,000,000, which he will forfeit if any of the hardwired apps escapes into the wild. Another alternative: use a dongle thumb drive.
Best wishes, Hans
[CodeProject Forum Guidelines] [How To Ask A Question] [My Articles]
We considered USB thumbdrives, SD cards etc, but the PCs are off limits to us and they are not willing to use the legwork network. In fact the manager went to some pains to point out, come time for license renewal, he DID NOT expect to have anyone go to each of the 100 machines and install a new license. Which, BTW, would require a complete re-install of their software because they are hardwiring the registration key inside their app! Oh yes, a full recompile as well.
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Santanu Lahiri wrote:
1. The PCs are NOT connected to ANY sort of a network.
not even the internet? must be a military or intelligence (i.e. CIA, NSA) installation. if so, do not walk, RUN away
Errrr, no. This is neither... Not even a government installation. I best not say anything else about their field...
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The customer has telepathic PCs?
Visit http://www.notreadytogiveup.com/[^] and do something special today.
I think you are on the right track there...
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Just say what any good consultant would say, sorry, that's not possible, feel free to pay the person that told you is possible to do it for you.
xacc.ide - now with TabsToSpaces support
IronScheme - 1.0 beta 2 - out now!
((lambda (x) `((lambda (x) ,x) ',x)) '`((lambda (x) ,x) ',x))Easier said than done, these days, in this economy. I can only wish...
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Hans Dietrich wrote:
Another alternative: use a dongle thumb drive.
they are as good as registration keys, may be slightly better. I use to work for Life Safety Manufacturer and our app had dongle keys. There are plenty dongle simulators out there. Off course this is not as easy as software registration key for the age guy to figure out or configure.
Yusuf Oh didn't you notice, analogous to square roots, they recently introduced rectangular, circular, and diamond roots to determine the size of the corresponding shapes when given the area. Luc Pattyn[^]
You would still need to get the dongle to the PC... which they do not seem very eager to do.
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Not a problem, all it takes is money. If the client will post a bond and pay for you to supply a gopher to install any updates then I don't see the issue. The client is always right, but must pay for variations on standard service. Stupid requirements cost stupid amounts, make them bleed for the variations.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
I hate to overcharge for services, but in this case, I am tempted to add a few zeros after the normal fee...