Is it possible to produce something which I can give to my client, but which
they can't just pass on to others.

I want it to work for them but not if they give it to someone else.I know I
could password protect it, but then they can just tell people the password.

Any ideas?

Thanks

M

maybe sth. like this?

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/WorkbookTimeBomb.aspx



On 14 Sty, 15:25, "Michelle" <mh_londonNOJ...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Is it possible to produce something which I can give to my client, but which
> they can't just pass on to others.
>
> I want it to work for them but not if they give it to someone else.I know I
> could password protect it, but then they can just tell people the password.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks
>
> M

If you are doing business as a provider of software or if you hold copywright
to software or both, you can include a provision to the buyer that they
cannot pass the product you sell them to others. This does not prevent them
from doing it, but if you can prove they did, then you can bring legal action
against them.

That is the simple version. I would advise you to seek professional legal
advice if you intend to sell your software products, or to develop products
under contract to others.

"Michelle" wrote:

> Is it possible to produce something which I can give to my client, but which
> they can't just pass on to others.
>
> I want it to work for them but not if they give it to someone else.I know I
> could password protect it, but then they can just tell people the password.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks
>
> M
>

Don't give the password to the client. If you really don't trust them,
charge a lot more for the work, or install a time bomb and make them retain
you to extend the life of the program. If you want to be completely OCD
about it, you could include a mechanism that lets it work on each separate
machine, using a key you provide that is based on an encryption of the
machine's hard drive serial number. This is more work, but gets closer to a
secure solution.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/
_______


"Michelle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:93EF6D51-D4CA-43AF-939D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Is it possible to produce something which I can give to my client, but
> which they can't just pass on to others.
>
> I want it to work for them but not if they give it to someone else.I know
> I could password protect it, but then they can just tell people the
> password.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks
>
> M

No problem at all with the former, but if anyone ever did the latter, it
would be the last time I used their services...

And if I still had any interest in using the macros, I'd be tempted to
take the 30 seconds and disarm the bomb. My business operations
shouldn't depend on your not getting hit by a bus...


In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Jon Peltier" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> If you really don't trust them, charge a lot more for the work, or
> install a time bomb and make them retain you to extend the life of
> the program.

Is there a simple API to get the machine's hard-drive serial number - I like
that idea

Thanks

M

"Jon Peltier" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Don't give the password to the client. If you really don't trust them,
> charge a lot more for the work, or install a time bomb and make them
> retain you to extend the life of the program. If you want to be completely
> OCD about it, you could include a mechanism that lets it work on each
> separate machine, using a key you provide that is based on an encryption
> of the machine's hard drive serial number. This is more work, but gets
> closer to a secure solution.
>
> - Jon
> -------
> Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
> Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
> http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/
> _______
>
>
> "Michelle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:93EF6D51-D4CA-43AF-939D-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Is it possible to produce something which I can give to my client, but
>> which they can't just pass on to others.
>>
>> I want it to work for them but not if they give it to someone else.I know
>> I could password protect it, but then they can just tell people the
>> password.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> M
>
>

Are your macros *so* valuable that your clients will pay you to
hard-code their drive serial # into a compiled add-in, leaving
themselves crippled if they have a hard-drive crash?

And if you're not planning on distributing them in a COM add-in, adding
protection is rather useless - it takes about 30 seconds to disable VBA
protection.



In article <4EE05DEB-1016-4C00-B81D-(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Michelle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Is there a simple API to get the machine's hard-drive serial number - I like
> that idea
>

> Are your macros *so* valuable that your clients will pay you to
> hard-code their drive serial # into a compiled add-in, leaving
> themselves crippled if they have a hard-drive crash?

Value is relative.

I would implement a routine that gave them a 30 day introductory period,
during which they send me an email with a code provided by the program. This
code would be some kind of crypto of the HD serial number and the date of
initial use or date of renewal. I would input this code into a routine on my
computer which would spit out another code, which they enter into a
registration screen. Their copy of the program would accept the returned
code, compare the unencrypted HD SN with the HD present on their machine,
and if it matches, it would add 12 months to the expiration date.

> And if you're not planning on distributing them in a COM add-in, adding
> protection is rather useless - it takes about 30 seconds to disable VBA
> protection.

30 seconds for you or me, 10 minutes for Michelle, and an indeterminate time
for Joe Client.

Granted, for a generally trustworthy client, none of this is necessary. But
Michelle may have a sleazoid on the line. In fact, I developed a similar
system for a client who had some sleazoid clients who wanted to ignore the
EULA and install one licensed copy of a large package onto dozens of
machines.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/
_______

I haven't had this problem with clients. But I usually put a time bomb into
the first project I do for someone, just to make sure they will pay to use
the work I've provided. In my experience, even the most advanced of my
clients have no idea how to bypass VBA passwords, or even sheet passwords,
and the simple code that makes up the time bomb is beyond them. I think I
could tell them that there's a complex protection scheme, and 99% would
never figure out that there isn't.

And really, in this context, the time bomb is like any other renewable
service. If you're worried about your provider being wiped out by a meteor,
you should negotiate for a more permanent solution.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/
_______



"JE McGimpsey" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:jemcgimpsey-(E-Mail Removed)...
> No problem at all with the former, but if anyone ever did the latter, it
> would be the last time I used their services...
>
> And if I still had any interest in using the macros, I'd be tempted to
> take the 30 seconds and disarm the bomb. My business operations
> shouldn't depend on your not getting hit by a bus...
>
>
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
> "Jon Peltier" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> If you really don't trust them, charge a lot more for the work, or
>> install a time bomb and make them retain you to extend the life of
>> the program.

In article <#(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Jon Peltier" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Value is relative.

I agree - that's why I asked the question...

> I would implement a routine that gave them a 30 day introductory period,

The motivation behind the question was more to the point that, while the
type of system that you describe may well be warranted for a
comprehensive commercial application, it's probably NOT worth the
development costs for a few macros.

Either spend a lot on developing the protection scheme, and charge a lot
for the application, or sell it cheap enough and provide good service to
encourage payment.

My skepticism came from the type of questions asked by the OP, which
suggested to me that there would be a sharp learning curve to produce
anything solid.

The flip side is, only the most foolish of businesspeople, IMO, would
agree to license anything critical (and so worth substantial
remuneration) containing a time-bomb on a period-to-period basis from a
single individual, and that therefore the potential return on investment
was low compared to the investment in developing comprehensive
anti-piracy solutions.


That doesn't mean that there aren't foolish businesspeople out there, of
course.