Ben Finney wrote: > Mike Playle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > >>License keys exist to make it easier for honest users to remain >>honest. > > > What doubletalk. If usage restrictions were in *any* way what end users > wanted, they'd choose software that has it over software that does > not. > > Usage restrictions serve *no* want of the end user. > No, but usage reporting is very important to large organisations with enterprise copies of their applications. They want to stay in compliance, and it's notoriously hard to track usage. > >>For instance a customer might want to buy a license to use your >>software on up to 5 machines at once, but still have the software >>installed on every machine in the company. > > > This need is adequately served by not imposing usage restrictions. Any > effective imposition of usage restrictions is hostile to the wants of > the user. > > If usage restrictions are brought into the picture, it is to serve the > wants of someone else, *not* the end user. It is disingenuous to > suggest otherwise. > So you're suggesting that most people would rather be dishonest?
Otherwise you might as well say that any costs associated with using a piece of software (including purchase pricing) are "hostile to the wants of the user". > >>License systems like FlexLM can work here, to make it easier for >>them to ensure that they comply with the terms of the license. > > > This is describing a want of the copyright holder, *not* the end user. > I think your view is a little biased here. > >>Forget about the people who'll crack your software. Ask yourself >>whether a license key scheme offers anything to the people who won't >>try to crack it. If it does, then actually implementing the scheme >>becomes trivial; if it doesn't, then leave it out, because it won't >>help against crackers. > > > Very sound advice, I agree entirely. > As do I. The sad thing is that the people most concerned about protection of intellectual property are often the ones whose IP is least likely to need protection. regards Steve -- Steve Holden +44 150 684 7255 +1 800 494 3119 Holden Web LLC/Ltd http://www.holdenweb.com Skype: holdenweb http://holdenweb.blogspot.com Recent Ramblings http://del.icio.us/steve.holden -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
