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Registering FileMaker Solution to Computer Name


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So no one responded to my post about Froodware's copy protection system, which is based on the hard drive.  I think a better way is to tie the FileMaker Solution to a particular computer--by its name.  If the computer is changed, but the same name is applied, there would be no problem with the license.  People change hard drives more frequently, so I'd rather not tie the license to the hard drive.  How can FileMaker get the computer name, for processing?  I don't see a Get function for that.  I do see a Get function for the NIC address, but people do change network cards, and so I'd rather not use that.

 

Oops, I now see it:  Get ( HostName ).  Wow, this is terrific!

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Steven, I've read some negative reviews about FM 12 on Amazon and on here at FM Forums, so I'm going to wait.  But, yes, I'd like to have the host name to be where the FM solution is stored....

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Why wait?  Why not test it out for yourself?  That's the only reliable method for evaluating whether the changes in 12 are going to affect your or not.  No review / opinion that anyone else has knows about the exact design of your solution.

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I've now learned that the Froodware Plugin is just for the Mac, not the PC, so that option is out.  So I've gone back to using the same basic script I used for my 2005 commercial software package, Accounts Receivable for Rubbish Removal.  Two dates are set upon first loading the program, the first being the installation date, and the second being 30 days hence.  The trial will last 30 days and the user must then enter the correct unlock code (based now on the company name and the computer name), sent to them from my company, after payment.  In the past, my company would e-mail, as an attachment, the runtime (so we had total control), but now the FM 11 runtime is so huge, I don't want to do that.  So I will use DropBox.com to store the file and allow access to users and prospects.  But now there's another issue, because of this.  When the 30 day trial runs out, the user could just download the runtime from DrobBox again, and continue to use it for another 30 days, etc.  I've asked DropBox how they could handle this situation, but they've not responded yet.  Any ideas?

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Steven, what do you mean by "manipulation"?  They will only be allowed to have user privileges, not developer privileges.  Of course, any data they've added will be lost when they start using a new trial, but that's rather cold comfort.  Unlocked users will be able to download the file whenever they want (particularly if there are updates), and transfer records from their old version to the new--so they're protected. 

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You stated:

 

 

Two dates are set upon first loading the program, the first being the installation date, and the second being 30 days hence.  The trial will last 30 days and the user must then enter the correct unlock code (based now on the company name and the computer name), sent to them from my company, after payment.

 

How do you keep users from changing the dates?  How do you keep them from bypassing the date check? How do you keep them from opening the files in a way that does not trigger the check for the dates?  Questions such as these must be addressed in planning a system such as the one you describe. Developer privileges may not necessarily be required in order to activate any of a number of attack vectors against your file. 

 

Steven

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You have a point.  The dates are automatically set in the Startup script the first time the trial runtime is run and cannot be changed.  Of course, a user could set the computer date to prior the trial end date.  I've toyed with using a timer script, but it's difficult to determine how many hours should be allowed; it's much easier just to use days.  Rather than taking the computer date as valid, I could pull the date off some Web site...or just use the Send Event script step to run w32tm /resync.

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I'd also be careful about tying the license to the computer name.  A few things can happen.

 

  1. The company could just name the computer the same as the original license on multiple machines.
  2. You could inadvertently annoy your paying customer base.  It's common to get new equipment.  I've dealt with enough software tied to the hardware in the machine to drive a person insane.  Especially in a world where I work on my desktop at work, and work on my personal laptop. Never using them at the same time...but necessary to use the software on both.  I simply don't buy software if it doesn't allow me to do that.

I think it's important to make sure the way lock down the solution doesn't penalize your paying customers also.  Using the Windows Registry could be helpful...creating a txt or bat file that you compare the contents to the actual database ( if they don't match, lock the file down...but again, be very careful with this one ). Disabling importing in the trial is important.

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Josh, the computer name must be unique on the company's network; the problem with using the MAC address, which is unique, is that somwetimes the  network card is changed, while keeping the same computer name.  If a new computer replaces an old one on the network, the new one should be named the same as the one that's retired.  I have, as you suggest, disabled importing in the trial.  I'm still not sure how to prevent repeat downloads of the trial file from a public download site.  Some sort of .txt or .bat file should take care of that, but I haven't worked out the details yet.

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Is that a business rule? Or something specific to 1 company that you work with? We have had in the past, PC's that had the same computer name. Other than the occasion error saying "don't do that", it did run. Also, the company I work for sends us the PC pre-formatted, computer name already set...and it's never the same. It's a tricky thing to rely on.

So my question is this, is the re-downloading of the trial really that valuable to a company if they can't get their existing data into it?

...the computer name must be unique on the company's network; the problem with using the MAC address, which is unique, is that sometimes the network card is changed, while keeping the same computer name. If a new computer replaces an old one on the network, the new one should be named the same as the one that's retired.

It might also help if you use something like Inno Setup to install the trial...it can provide you more options along with the install to set things like the registry or create batch files, etc.

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If the company you work with sends you a new computer with the computer name set, and it's different from the old one, then you would have to pay for a new software license from my company, unless you could persuade me that the old computer is truly retired.  Besides, you could rename the new computer with the old name, provided it doesn't conflict with another on the network.  With the Froodware Plug-in, you could just deauthorize it, then reauthorize it on the new computer--this is a nice feature, but not available on Windows machines.  I'm still considering use of the commands "set" and "setx" to set environmental variables.

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So with that statement, you understand why (if we were in the industry) would not ever be able to purchase your software.  We don't get a choice with the hardware, it comes the way it comes, and we can't change the computer name.

 

I guess my point is this: What is worse for you?  A few people possibly getting around your security and using the software for free? Or losing out on the revenue from companies that won't take the risk of being locked out of the software just because they got a new computer and the name is different, and they can't prove to you that the old machine is retired (or the software unstalled)?

 

And still a concern, as a business owner, the fact that I use more than one machine.  You would be hard pressed to see a software package that doesn't allow usage on 2+ machine (just not at the same time).

 

I don't, at all want to tell you how to run your business, I wouldn't dream of it...but those are concerns I would have as a potential customer.  Lock it down, but do it in a way that won't aggravate your paying customers.  It's a tricky balance.  One that even FileMaker has bounced around. And notice that as of FileMaker 10, they even stopped using the Activation/Deactivation method.

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Steven:  As I said above, I can use the Send Event script step in the Startup Script to run w32tm /resync.  This command sets the computer to the correct date and time via the Internet, so the user cannot set the computer to a date prior to the trial end date.  What I'm concerned with now is that the user could just then download the file again from the public download site (like DropBox) and use it again for another 30 days.  Of course, his previous work would be lost. I'm considering Josh's suggestion above to use Inno Setup, which may take care of this situation by means of the Registry.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Update:  I've learned that Dropbox allows one to set the e-mail addresses which may access the files stored there (in the cloud).  So this takes care of the issue:  after the 30 day trial period is up, if the prospect does not pay for the unlock key, I can disable his access to the download site, so that he cannot do a download every 30 days.  Today I ran the Developer utility to create the runtime file, zipped it, and then make it an executable by using Winzip; there is really no need to use Inno Setup, although that may add certain features.  Incidentally, all the files in the runtime package take up a rather amazing 200 MB of disk space (before compression).

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  • 5 weeks later...

Josh, yes, it appears that every 30 days a user could download a new copy of the file and have another 30 days, etc.  However, he would be unable to import any records he previously created or modified.  DropBox tech support is not very quick at responding to questions like this; I'm still not sure if I can disallow a user from downloading the link again; from what I know to date, the answer appears to be 'No.'

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