Limiting the number of client's "seats"

[Rick]

I am developing an Access 2003 application for sale to commercial
customers. The pricing will include a flat cost plus a per-seat
charge (i.e., a one-time charge to authorize access to the product
from one customer workstation) for as many seats as the customer
wishes to buy. The login phase of the app must therefore deny
attempts to exceed the number of seats authorized.

How might this limit be enforced in software?

(The back end will be a server such as MySQL or Microsoft SQL Server)

Thanks

Rick

 

[Beetle]

Tony Toews has some thoughts regarding this on his website;

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/demo.htm

 

[a a r o n . k e m p f]

I'd keep track of it _ON_ the database server side.

Look in one of the 'dynamic management views' to see how many distinct
workstations (netbios names) have it open.
I'd just consider allowing one person to have 2 copies of the app open
at the same time without additional licensing.

that way-- if someone wants to compare product A with product B-- they
have a workaround.

-Aaron