Yet another question about software protection....

[Elias Montoya]

I have finished my latest firefly application. But i woult like to protect my program before
starting to sell it. Since I am traveling frecuently to the mountains, I will not be able to
support it 100% like i used to with my other applications, so, i would like to protect it to
create a fully automated delivery system.

What is the best software protection nowadays? I would like to see how much i will have to
save in order to buy it.

Thanx for the suggestions.

[Paul Squires]

I stopped using Armadillo (used it for FireFly2). I now use my own protection system.

Not sure what the "best" current protection system is these days.

[Elias Montoya]

 
Hmmm i would ask you what your system is, but then you would probably need to kill me huh?

[Paul Squires]

yup, you would have to be "eliminated".

My system is not fully automated either. I verify every sale when I receive notice from PayPal of a payment received. I log the customer information into a FireFly database program that I wrote that handles customer tracking and automated emails. I also log the information into the aMember program that handles access to this forum. I also update the program that I use for sending mass email campaigns to all customers.

[Roger Garstang]

Yes, I was so glad when you went away from Armadillo.  It caused issues with WinSpector and kept taking down FF when I used it to debug my apps just because it detected it as a debugger.  I'd think other debuggers would have caused issues too...not exactly the best thing for a development app.  Going to a private forum was a good approach, and being a small company allows for manual processing so you can verify names and tie everything to the key which will keep people honest.  No matter what you do for protection there is always someone able to get around it.  Like many others I hate online activation stuff too.  After a few FF and PB users suggested it here I got hooked on web development using WYSIWYG Web Builder, but still worry about when the online activation is no longer there then all my pages will have no way of being edited.  And, the forum and developer there are no where near what Paul has/is.  He could give FF away free and charge for the forum access and I'd still buy.  That is the kind of application protection that works.  Build a good product, have good character, and listen to the users and you will go far.  Both of you guys have no problems in that area.

[Haakon Birkeland]

Another bugger with Armadillo is that it is so widely used that a lot of parties are having a go at it, actually managing to circumvent it. I've seen plenty of reference to such tings last time I looked for a documentary about a Danish documentary from the "Camp Armadillo" in Afghanistan.

[John Messingham]

I started a thread a while ago about this, there may be something useful mentioned fro you.

http://www.planetsquires.com/protect/forum/index.php?topic=2594.msg19731#msg19731

[Peter House]

Dan Appleman of VB6 Programmers Guide Fame has a protection application framework.  I do not know if it will work with PB/FF but from what I have read it looks very configurable and does NOT rely on his web interface - you can use your own.

http://www.desaware.com/

If it does work or you look into it more - please post your results.