[AccessD] Q: using the host id to protect copyright in Access

Tom

At 17:50 22/01/2005 +0000, you wrote:

>Hi Tom!
>
>I do not have a complete solution for you, but I think the only unique
>identifier that you may be able to retrieve is the MAC id "burnt into" the
>Network Card. Assuming that the boxes you provide have network cards.

Some of the commercial licensing apps use the MAC (ethernet) address
(which should be unique to each network adapter) to generate a license
based on either the MAC address, MAC address plus host name or some
attached software key (dongle), usually via the parallel port or USB slot.

Bear in mind that many a server will have more than one network card, which
of course can fail and need replacing; so will many laptops if they have a 
built
in network card and, say, a wireless card or infra red connection.

If you go down this route, therefore, you may have to ask the customer to 
choose
from more than one ethernet address for your licensing purposes. The commercial
outfits supply the customer with an app that returns all ethernet addresses 
then
ask the customer to choose one. They will need enough savvy to choose an 
address
that won't be disabled. (Disabling a wireless connection can set its 
ethernet address
to all zeroes and can therefore break your licensing.)

HTH

Ralph Bryce