Toolkit Pro - Activation

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Activation

Printed From: Codejock Forums
Category: Codejock Products
Forum Name: Toolkit Pro
Forum Description: Topics Related to Codejock Toolkit Pro
URL: http://forum.codejock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1030
Printed Date: 21 December 2024 at 10:30pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Activation

Posted By: srana
Subject: Activation
Date Posted: 06 August 2004 at 4:52am

alt.graphics.photoshop are having a huge discussion on "activation"

It was prompted by MS Moneys servers dying and people not being
able to do their accounts.

There is a lot of negative views about activation. It is interesting
seeing it from a user's point of view.

"It's not just a matter of flexibility. The real issue with activation
when it comes to financial tools is long term support. Financial data
often must be held for decades. For example: Will Intuit still be
around and willing to activate your 7 year old software so that you
can supply tax data to your IRS auditor."

What will happen when our subscription expires. Instead of activation what I will suggest is
using a user name and key combination to unlock the installation.

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Shrishail Rana

Replies:

Posted By: Ark42
Date Posted: 06 August 2004 at 11:01am

Well I'm sure Codejock realizes this, but in this case, with the MFC version at least, if you install the program once, you have the entire source code available. Nothing is to stop you from zipping it up and using it again later to bypass the original .exe installer. Protecting a bunch of .cpp files is near impossible compared to protecting a .exe file.

I agree that activation does have the very bad side effect of leaving tons of people in the dark if the company ceases to exist, but I can also verify from my own experience using an activation method similar to win XP in my own program that it prevents a TON of piracy, and I could prove that there were instances where it led to more sales, in particular where a *school* purchased 1 copy and tried to use it on 30+ computers in a lab where the computers all had sequential netbios names. This led to them silently just purchasing 30 copies later on, without even emailing us asking why their 1 copy couldn't be used on all the computers.

I personally, with my own company, promise to remove all activation and put out one last version if I decide to stop selling software. I would not abandon my users like that. And in the slim chance I get hit by a bus and can't do that - oh well, its a slim chance after all, and I don't care to worry about that.

Posted By: srana
Date Posted: 06 August 2004 at 11:10am

I agree. But these are just my thoughts. Instead of activation I still prefer a user & key combination.

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Shrishail Rana