on 3/17/03 10:25 AM, Joe Lewis Wilkins at PepeToo@... wrote:

> The users should also be encouraged to provide feedback
> for use in adding the "future magic" so that they come to relate
> personally to the project.

I think Joe is right on on this one.

My grade book goes out on a CD with both Win and Mac unprotected.   I am
sure I have been clipped.  On the other hand I get $ for the ones I sell and
that is good.  Each user is greeted with a personal note from me via e-mail,
welcoming them to the PGGP Family.   I get very few tech calls.   I get a
few questions via e-mail.   I would estimate that 99% of the site licenses
are a result of a teacher who is using the program and not in the demo form.
When I get a site, we sure don't say, "We will only sell it if you can prove
you never used a pirated copy."

Once, I did receive a tech support call for an unlicensed copy.  I began to
catch on when my references to the manual were met with "I don't have a
manual."   I did think that was a bit nervy to ask for support after
stealing something, but hey...I lived.

I know people priate.   I don't.   I like think there are many others like
me.

I do have a demo solution.   I don't want to go into great detail (I will be
glad to on back channel) but the "key" is in the actual data file.   A data
file will open for 30 days by the clock.   If the clock jumps more than a
few hours, the user is asked to check their clock battery and the app quits.
I am in a good situation with grade book files as very few schools start a
new grade period every 30 days.   The key is so deep I could not hack it,
but then I am not a byte by byte file hacker type.   I did not think this
up.  Our old friend Mars did an article in Inside Basic years ago and the
system worked great for Win and Mac.   I think Bruce is on the right course
in considering putting the info in the data.

I hope this helps.
-- 
Best Wishes,

George
mailto: gbeckman@...
http://www.pggp.com