Instant Unlock Software
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I posed this question before, but didn't really get a good answer. I've got two versions of my software, retail and trial. I'm thinking about going with Plimus as a processor ... but I would really like to get an honest opinion about what to use as a "wrapper" for instant unlock software. I don't want to hear anything about how copy protection can be broke, I'm very familiar with that, have written tons of code to avoid it ... and at this point I DON'T CARE ... it's easier to just let someone steal your damn software than jump through hoops to avoid it. Back to the primary question: Any recommended instant unlock wrapper software that obviously does payment processing? Thanks in advance.
modified on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 8:04 PM
We do it ourselves for three reasons: 0) We have full control and can change things easily at any time when it becomes necessary 1) It's damned easy 2) I will not give up one more cent of profits that I don't have to. Stuff like expiration dates, wrapped keys that can be plain text for easy distribution but can't be modified in any way without breaking them are dead easy. I urge you to take a look at doing it yourself. Literally a weekends work to implement it and write your own key generator and a product lifetime of extra profits, security and control.
Yesterday they said today was tomorrow but today they know better. - Poul Anderson
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Thanks Hans, that looks promising. I'll check it out. I appreciate your input.
Also, most major merchant services providers (like ShareIt) support Software Passport, which means the customer can be sent a key as soon as he buys the product, without waiting for you to take action.
Best wishes, Hans
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We do it ourselves for three reasons: 0) We have full control and can change things easily at any time when it becomes necessary 1) It's damned easy 2) I will not give up one more cent of profits that I don't have to. Stuff like expiration dates, wrapped keys that can be plain text for easy distribution but can't be modified in any way without breaking them are dead easy. I urge you to take a look at doing it yourself. Literally a weekends work to implement it and write your own key generator and a product lifetime of extra profits, security and control.
Yesterday they said today was tomorrow but today they know better. - Poul Anderson
That sounds interesting. To tell the truth, I've never dug too deep into how to generate such software. Any hints, comments, links, etc?
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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We do it ourselves for three reasons: 0) We have full control and can change things easily at any time when it becomes necessary 1) It's damned easy 2) I will not give up one more cent of profits that I don't have to. Stuff like expiration dates, wrapped keys that can be plain text for easy distribution but can't be modified in any way without breaking them are dead easy. I urge you to take a look at doing it yourself. Literally a weekends work to implement it and write your own key generator and a product lifetime of extra profits, security and control.
Yesterday they said today was tomorrow but today they know better. - Poul Anderson
I've been writing software, well for the current company I own, 15+ years. I have an actual merchant account with a bank (which is now Chase). Have written a bunch of security software, and wrote a keygen that was never broken in all that time (prime numbers, flopping stuff around, etc. makes a pretty simple license key that is solid). Since the crooks will trace into your code (C++) you have to fake them out. I've been pretty successful. At this point, I just don't care anymore. Thing is, crooks, if they can't get past the license key, then they just use a fake id to purchase the product and then I get stuck with a chargeback fee. I'd prefer to just completely avoid all of that. It's easier to just let them steal it. I think I'm either going to go with my two versions (trial/retail) via Plimus, or go with Digital River and just have one version that can be instantly unlocked. Still trying to determine the best route. Any other suggestions, appreciated.
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I've been writing software, well for the current company I own, 15+ years. I have an actual merchant account with a bank (which is now Chase). Have written a bunch of security software, and wrote a keygen that was never broken in all that time (prime numbers, flopping stuff around, etc. makes a pretty simple license key that is solid). Since the crooks will trace into your code (C++) you have to fake them out. I've been pretty successful. At this point, I just don't care anymore. Thing is, crooks, if they can't get past the license key, then they just use a fake id to purchase the product and then I get stuck with a chargeback fee. I'd prefer to just completely avoid all of that. It's easier to just let them steal it. I think I'm either going to go with my two versions (trial/retail) via Plimus, or go with Digital River and just have one version that can be instantly unlocked. Still trying to determine the best route. Any other suggestions, appreciated.
You're sorta missing the point. I agree with you substantially about not worth the hassle, locks keeping honest people out etc etc. As you'll note none of those reasons were ones I cited why I advocate your own system but whatever, clearly you know the alternative is out there and you've implemented it before and just as clearly you don't care about a little lost profit and it's really none of my business anyway. :)
Yesterday they said today was tomorrow but today they know better. - Poul Anderson
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That sounds interesting. To tell the truth, I've never dug too deep into how to generate such software. Any hints, comments, links, etc?
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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I posed this question before, but didn't really get a good answer. I've got two versions of my software, retail and trial. I'm thinking about going with Plimus as a processor ... but I would really like to get an honest opinion about what to use as a "wrapper" for instant unlock software. I don't want to hear anything about how copy protection can be broke, I'm very familiar with that, have written tons of code to avoid it ... and at this point I DON'T CARE ... it's easier to just let someone steal your damn software than jump through hoops to avoid it. Back to the primary question: Any recommended instant unlock wrapper software that obviously does payment processing? Thanks in advance.
modified on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 8:04 PM
I bought a piece of software a while back. It used a third-party company to handle the unlocking of it. The maker of the app was bought out by another company. The maker of the locking mechanism refuses to deal with that piece of software anymore because they don't have a deal with the new owners of it. The new owners of it don't give a poop about anyone who bought from the original maker. If my computer ever dies I can't reinstall the software I bought onto a new system because it will not unlock. Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of any sort of security wrap on something I buy.
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Here's a great place to start: Using XML Digital Signatures for Application Licensing[^]
Yesterday they said today was tomorrow but today they know better. - Poul Anderson
Thanks!
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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I posed this question before, but didn't really get a good answer. I've got two versions of my software, retail and trial. I'm thinking about going with Plimus as a processor ... but I would really like to get an honest opinion about what to use as a "wrapper" for instant unlock software. I don't want to hear anything about how copy protection can be broke, I'm very familiar with that, have written tons of code to avoid it ... and at this point I DON'T CARE ... it's easier to just let someone steal your damn software than jump through hoops to avoid it. Back to the primary question: Any recommended instant unlock wrapper software that obviously does payment processing? Thanks in advance.
modified on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 8:04 PM
Years ago, I worked on software that did this. While it generally worked, it caused way too many calls to technical support and a bad reputation for the times it didn't. (And, due to the way it was done, it would fail under Vista and Windows 7 without going full administrator. Some of us saw that coming and warned them, but the project managers didn't care.)
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I have used Software Passport and it is excellent. One feature I really like is the ability to create keys that have an expiration date; this means that the product will stay installed after the expiration date, but the key itself no longer works if you try to use it. This is very useful to prevent key theft and posting on the internet. I typically use 2 - 4 weeks expiration date.
Best wishes, Hans
You know the thing is, they don't have any visible phone number on their site. I went to Digital River, same thing. I called 411 for the Corporate Office in California, but there was no listing. The closest one I got ended up going to a Latino housewife, who was obviously taking care of her kids. I finally searched the Internet, found a number, called it and the person who answered was in the Philippines. I had only two simple questions. They couldn't answer. I was then forwarded to another person in the Philippines who also could not answer them. I was advised to call Minnesota, but apparently they close at 5PM (and I'm Pacific Coast). I don't think I would recommend going with them.
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I bought a piece of software a while back. It used a third-party company to handle the unlocking of it. The maker of the app was bought out by another company. The maker of the locking mechanism refuses to deal with that piece of software anymore because they don't have a deal with the new owners of it. The new owners of it don't give a poop about anyone who bought from the original maker. If my computer ever dies I can't reinstall the software I bought onto a new system because it will not unlock. Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of any sort of security wrap on something I buy.
Thanks, that actually helps answer my question for which route to go.
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Years ago, I worked on software that did this. While it generally worked, it caused way too many calls to technical support and a bad reputation for the times it didn't. (And, due to the way it was done, it would fail under Vista and Windows 7 without going full administrator. Some of us saw that coming and warned them, but the project managers didn't care.)
Thanks. I think I'm just going to go with the trial version and a separate full retail version. Try the trial, if you like it, then buy the retail (separate download). That's what I've always done, for the most part. I don't need or want all the DRM crap.
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You know the thing is, they don't have any visible phone number on their site. I went to Digital River, same thing. I called 411 for the Corporate Office in California, but there was no listing. The closest one I got ended up going to a Latino housewife, who was obviously taking care of her kids. I finally searched the Internet, found a number, called it and the person who answered was in the Philippines. I had only two simple questions. They couldn't answer. I was then forwarded to another person in the Philippines who also could not answer them. I was advised to call Minnesota, but apparently they close at 5PM (and I'm Pacific Coast). I don't think I would recommend going with them.
Larry Antram wrote:
You know the thing is, they don't have any visible phone number on their site.
Ditto for many companies (like mine, for instance).
Larry Antram wrote:
I went to Digital River, same thing.
Where did you look? Here it is: 952-253-1234. I believe it's in Minnesota, not sure. I prefer email, so that I'll have a record of what was said. And I definitely prefer Software Passport to writing a bunch of code that I then get to debug. Good luck.
Best wishes, Hans