[AccessD] Registration routine for a commercially-sold Access app?

On 9 Jun 2003 at 13:12, Christopher Hawkins wrote:

> I need to come up with a registration/licensing routine for an Access
> app that a client of mine will be selling.  Basically, my client is
> concerned about one customer distributing the application to others.
> 
> I want to roll my own algorithm, but then it occurred to me there
> might be a better way.  Right now I'm experimenting with validating
> the app against the hard drive serial number, but that's fraught with
> shortcomings.  I'm also thinking about using an obscure registry key. 
> 
> Who's had to come up registration methods before, and how did you do
> it?
> 

I dislike hardware based systems (like MSs product activation) 
intensely because clients shouldn't have to ask your permission to 
replace/upgrade their hardware. 

I sometimes use a system where I embed the client name  prominently 
on headers of all reports and  on menus etc. with the name stored in 
a system table and looked up as needed. I then use a registration key 
which is a "hash" of the client name.  If a copy is passed on, the 
incorrect name appearing constantly is at least an annoyance and 
frequently an embarrassment.

I've also used  a time based registration system where the client 
contacts you periodically for a new key which is a hash of their name 
and an expiry date. That generally works best if you are providing 
ongoing value (such as updated tax rate etc tables)




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