Re: An alternative to Product Activation

Wayne Niddery [TeamB] wrote:

Shawn B. wrote:

But there must be a
number of customers that enjoy being treaded this way to the point
that its acceptable to them. After all, people will be treated
exactly the way they want to be. If people fine it tolerable but
despicable the activation policy, and pay anyway, then its because
they want to be treated this way. It won't stop until paying
customers get a clue.

That's not a fair statement. Most people do not like the need for
activation, but at the same time recognize that it is an attempt to
fight a legitimate problem, and thus a "necessary evil". Also, most
people have never had problems with the activation, it does work most
of the time, and so find it acceptable.

I have no problem with Borland, CodeGear or anybody else protecting
their IP and maximising their profits. However, I have my own
commercial interests to protect, and if Activation jeapordises
significant commercial opportuninties, then I must have an alternative.

That certainly does not mean things cannot be or should not be
improved, and I also like the kind of scheme you describe - more up
front work for the vendor (but less work later, no activation server
to maintain, no escrow requrirements, etc) and still does the job -
which is to deter casual piracy (which is more rampant than most
probably think), not the determined crackers and their customers.
Hopefully CodeGear and other companies will consider this or equally
more friendly schemes.

The protection system must be simple, non-intrusive, robust, and
guaranteed for all time (or until Windows disappears, whichever comes
sooner).

I would love to know the full costs of the current Activation system,
including all the support costs. Throw in sales lost due to Activation,
(probably an unknowable number), and add a dollop of lost goodwill -
how significant do you think the total is? CodeGear must have a high
expectation of the level of casual-copy piracy to go to such lengths.

If I have to use an activated product, then I will switch all my
development to work in a VM (which I've been meaning to do for ages,
and never quite gotten around too). An interesting side effect of using
a VM will be to make it EASIER to casually copy my Delphi installation
around from machine to machine: just install all the components once,
and take the VM to whatever machine I want. Please note that I do NOT
intend to do this - I only use licensed software: I am just observing
that the law of unintended consequences may have struck again.

Ian


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