For those that allow their software to be purchased and downloaded from a
website, how are you protecting your software from pirating?

If you are using some type of code in the compiled EXE, are you having to
compile for each download in order to have unique codes?

Thanks,
Brett

You basically put in a licensing scheme into your executable. In the old VB6
days I used the activelock component to provide this kind of functionality.
Now there are quite a few components that does something similar for .NET
applications also and I think the activelock source is now open source..

Rgds,
Anand M
http://www.dotnetindia.com

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Here's something you may want to look at:

http://www.productfast.com/SharewareCode.zip

I download it & scanned itfor viruses using Symantec Antivirus 9.0.1400
Corporate Edition with 4/1/2005 rev. 9's viruse definitions, which are the
latest available at the time of writing this reply

I hope this helps

Crouchie1998
BA (HONS) MCP MCSE

Here's another I found written in VB.NET:

http://www.gotdotnet.com/Community/UserSamples/Details.aspx?SampleGuid=0b1d0100-3164-436c-9434-b262d97a88ac

Crouchie1998
BA (HONS) MCP MCSE

The only problem with Activelock is that it is open source, making it easier
to crack.

To automate unique software, how about using IncrementalBuild()?  I could
work like this:

A user registers on my site.  ASP scripts add a custom generated key into
the application source code.  These scripts execute IncrementalBuild() to
recompile, which only recompiles the one method that has changed.  I provide
the user with an email of the custom code and link to download the app.  He
puts in the code, which unlocks the app.  The code is encypted and written
to a text file.  Each time the app starts, it checks the text file against
the hard coded code.

Any problems with the above?

Thanks,
Brett
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