Pirate Protecting Wizards

[Cartesian-xyz]

As an OEM cnc foam cutting manufaturer we are considering using Mach3 as our controller and developing a robust interface and 4 axis cutting module. Can the VB wizards be easily protected from piracy. ( We would really like to share the strength of Mach3 with our customers but don't want to give our programming away, especially to competitors)
Thanks you for your help.
Stephen

[ger21]

Pirates can crack anything.

But the Newfangled wizards are protected by a license file, so there should be a way to do it. Best to contact Brian.

[elogicca]

If you do it in a plugin you can use any of the available protection systems or roll your own.


Chris

[Dr Pete]

The comment above "pirates can crack anything" is true.

If your product is that good your competition will buy your program to steal from you.

The easiest way I see other than using the protection that is available is to constantly change it so the pirates have to keep changing also.

I personally spend lots of money on good programs with upgrades and maintenance.
So don't worry about this too much, spend more effort on producing a GOOD product that people like myself will buy.

My .02 cents!
Dr Pete

[Dennis Bohlke]

You can purchase USB software keys to protect your software from pirates.

http://www.keylok.com/

I don't think the chinese army could crack their encryption.

In my opinion only a fool would write software with out copy protecting it.

By copy protecting it you establish value to it.

Dennis
www.super-tech.com

[Cartesian-xyz]

Thanks everyone for there replies. Yes I know for every BETTER mouse TRAP there are 3 Smarter MICE! I have sent off for the Keyloc kit and will evaluate it. Looks like it may be a good fit.
Stephen

[modlmkr]

If you write your wizard in Flash instead of using Screen4 and VB you will at least have the benefit of a complied program. There are Flash decompilers, but that gets into the realm of nothing is totally secure. At least a compiled Flash Wizard will require a lot of work to see your source, and then it will not have comments. It will also have benefit of a good script language, well integrated into the screens.

At least as important as protecting the source code is ensuring that your users have not modified the Wizard. It would be impossible to support a Wizard that could be freely modified by any users.

[Khalid]

USB cracks are also available in market

[DistortedDesign]

If you go the flash route there are programs that you use to protect against decompiling. It puts an error in it so that it can't be decompiled. Just google flash decompiler protection