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Ok. You're a thief and my dongle stopped you from stealing my program. Now I can feed my family and make payroll so all your buddies can have a job. Maybe you'll get laid off and drive a dumo truck or operate a backhoe for Obama's new road construction project. Satisfied now?

I completely agree with the comments on dongle usage. Dongles generally come with an "envelope" utility and a programming API. You must use the API to store some critical data (I store database connect strings and system passwords) inside the dongle's memory. In addition to the API use the envelope utility which will encrypt the executable. Consider it wearing 2 rubbers. Retrieve the dongle's data at runtime and if you cant retrieve the data then silently let your program die. Dont bother giving the user any warning messages or anything as that only tips the cracker off as to where to hijack your program. (Legitimate users will call tech support if they have problems - crackers dont.) Create a system timer and call your dongle routines frequently. When you suspect someone is cracking your application because the dongle doesnt return the correct value dont let your program die immediately, let it die at random intervals - sometimes after 1 minute sometimes after 5 minutes. This way as the cracker is attempting to hack your program there doesnt seem to be any reason as to where or why the application "freezes up." Seriously folks, you have to wear your black hat when coding anti-cracker routines. Just think nasty - after all the black hats do. If you are positive a cracker is working on your system (like after your dongle has failed 20 times or so) just destroy some system data and make them re-install. Your job is to slow them down at all cost. Maybe they will freak out that your are going to start deleting folders and they will stop hacking your application. I have used Aladdin HASP dongles for years and the API isnt difficult to program at all - especially compared to all the time you spent writing your program anyway. It's time well spent. As a side note - everything above applies to software only licensing schemes like CrypKey et. al. Happy cracker killing to all. I find it very enjoyable outsmarting them.

Not sure how you read I was calling you a thief into my response. I'm not calling you a thief at all. The original poster on this thread was asking for comments on how to protect the investment of his time in writing his software so he could get paid for his work. I'm an ISV so he and I share similar interest, and since I protect my software against piracy I shared my techniques. I use CrypKey, Microsoft SLPS, and HASP dongles. Stops thiefs cold. Allows software authors to feed their families, make house payments, and most importantly, make payroll so they can pay admins like you, so you can feed your family, make your house payment, etc. I realize people hate dongles but I dont care. If a company doesnt like it they can buy a competitors product. This does nothing but give me incentive to make my product better so people will buy it and put up with the dongle hassle.

@original poster to this thread: See I told you - use a dongle - it stops theft cold. Get paid for the work you do. Heck with the admins. In this economy the admin ain't gonna make your house payment.

From my experience dongles are not hard at all to program and VERY effective. Look at HASP by Aladdin. Also take a look at CrypKey as it is very effective too. I used both on the same project and it has yet to be cracked after several years of production use.