registery info/copy protection

[Anonymous]

I'm incorporating a locking mechanism into an application that I've
written in Vlisp which I am going to try to sell. I'm going to be making it
freely downloadable off the internet but I want to put some sort of locking
mechanism so that the program will run for a certain number of days after
which time it will not run until you recieve the authorization code (IOW,
you pay for it). Because vl-registry-write can't write to
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" (according to the help), I'm writing all the info to
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER" at this time as I develop the locking mechanism. The
problem with writing to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" is that if the evaluation runs
out and you haven't paid, you just have to create a new user on your NT
system and you have a whole new evaluation!

I've tried using ActiveLock (activeX locking control) but I don't want to go
that route.

Any ideas? Is there somewhere in the registry that I can write to that can
be accessed (read and write) by any user?


Thanks,

Ryan Small

[Anonymous]

Of course it's just as easy to run regedit as it is to change user profiles.
Maybe even easier...
--
Bobby C. Jones
Dots & Parens living in harmony...

[Anonymous]

I guess I overlooked the help filed saying you can't write to
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"........

However, I have been reading and writing to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" using
vl-registry-read and vl-registry-write for a few months now with no
problems.

I wonder why it hasn't given me any problems.

You know the saying:
"I'd rather be lucky than good."

--
Joel Roderick
Water Technology, Inc.
www.watertechnologyinc.com


"Ryan Small" wrote in message
news:322D60F7660894EFF3C610BAE4884943@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I'm incorporating a locking mechanism into an application that I've
> written in Vlisp which I am going to try to sell. I'm going to be making
it
> freely downloadable off the internet but I want to put some sort of
locking
> mechanism so that the program will run for a certain number of days after
> which time it will not run until you recieve the authorization code (IOW,
> you pay for it). Because vl-registry-write can't write to
> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" (according to the help), I'm writing all the info to
> "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" at this time as I develop the locking mechanism. The
> problem with writing to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" is that if the evaluation runs
> out and you haven't paid, you just have to create a new user on your NT
> system and you have a whole new evaluation!
>
> I've tried using ActiveLock (activeX locking control) but I don't want to
go
> that route.
>
> Any ideas? Is there somewhere in the registry that I can write to that can
> be accessed (read and write) by any user?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ryan Small
>
>

[Anonymous]

Hi Ryan,

This sounds like a cool way to protect your code, and it sound like you're
near the solution with the suggestions given here. Would you be interested
in sharing how you finally accomplish this? I know it sounds like I'm trying
to steal your ideas, but its not stealing if you give them to me, is it?

TIA
Sal

"Ryan Small" wrote in message
news:322D60F7660894EFF3C610BAE4884943@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I'm incorporating a locking mechanism into an application that I've
> written in Vlisp which I am going to try to sell. I'm going to be making
it
> freely downloadable off the internet but I want to put some sort of
locking
> mechanism so that the program will run for a certain number of days after
> which time it will not run until you recieve the authorization code (IOW,
> you pay for it). Because vl-registry-write can't write to
> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" (according to the help), I'm writing all the info to
> "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" at this time as I develop the locking mechanism. The
> problem with writing to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" is that if the evaluation runs
> out and you haven't paid, you just have to create a new user on your NT
> system and you have a whole new evaluation!
>
> I've tried using ActiveLock (activeX locking control) but I don't want to
go
> that route.
>
> Any ideas? Is there somewhere in the registry that I can write to that can
> be accessed (read and write) by any user?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ryan Small
>
>

[Anonymous]

I wonder what the guys here think about just creating a DEMO version and a
LICENSED version? That sure seems to be the safest way.

Don

"Ryan Small" wrote in message
news:322D60F7660894EFF3C610BAE4884943@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I'm incorporating a locking mechanism into an application that I've
> written in Vlisp which I am going to try to sell. I'm going to be making
it
> freely downloadable off the internet but I want to put some sort of
locking
> mechanism so that the program will run for a certain number of days after
> which time it will not run until you recieve the authorization code (IOW,
> you pay for it). Because vl-registry-write can't write to
> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" (according to the help), I'm writing all the info to
> "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" at this time as I develop the locking mechanism. The
> problem with writing to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" is that if the evaluation runs
> out and you haven't paid, you just have to create a new user on your NT
> system and you have a whole new evaluation!
>
> I've tried using ActiveLock (activeX locking control) but I don't want to
go
> that route.
>
> Any ideas? Is there somewhere in the registry that I can write to that can
> be accessed (read and write) by any user?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ryan Small
>
>

[Anonymous]

"DonB" wrote in message
news:9A2FD76EB4462DCD971A5694A87317C3@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I wonder what the guys here think about just creating a DEMO version and a
> LICENSED version? That sure seems to be the safest way.
>
> Don
>

The demo version could hardcode the name of the drawing it will work in.
That way a user could rename a drawing he wants to try the routine with and
be able to use all its functions. In order to not have to pay, the user
would have to go through the trouble of renaming every drawing he wanted it
to work with. After paying for it, the user would recieve a code that would
unlock it and enable it to be used with any drawing.

Gary