getting it out there

[ZanM]

I have a progam that is worthy of marketing (or so I've been told a millon times or so) but I'm not sure how to go about getting it done..... Does anyone know what steps I should take .... who to contact so on?

[dimava]

Yea, if its a really good program, E-mail it to me at [email protected], and try to submit a file to http://www.DOWNLOAD.com and http://www.zdnet.com/downloads ,then contact http://www.microsoft.com

ZanM, why don't you use something like ActiveLock to give a free trial of your software. This will encourage the person to buy it. They're not going to buy something if they don't really have a sample of what it can really do.

[dimava]

Oh, you ment like selling it, oh, I agree with Matt, you should make a shareware version of the program, and then send it to the places I mentioned above

[ZanM]

I think I'll do that once I copyright it and all

[dimava]

whats the program about, like what is it???

I'm not exactly familiar with ActiveLock, but the bad thing about it is that if someone is given the key. They can tell anyone who can just register it for free. Maybe you can get ActiveLock's software key code to change everytime, I'm not sure, as I said, I am not that familiar with how ActiveLock works.

Best wishes to you and the selling of your program.

[ZanM]

It loads up in the systemtray at start up and allows familys who all use the same compter to leave each other notes with pictures and colored text ... (like e-mail) when there is a message for someone another icon loads in the tray and flash a envelope and periodicly a little ticker comes up and scrolls Message for User From the other user

I'm working on a more complex memo system for network where there is a client and a server that routes all the messages.. I think I may go ahead and add e-mail to it since it borders on e-mail like stuff already

so what do you guys think

most people who see it even before I say I am thiking of marketing it are like wow you need to market that

[dimava]

sounds like a good idea

[PaulLewis]

I have never read the whole MS Lisence agreement on any product I have bought but I've read a couple of others, and most of them say things like:
" YOU are not permitted to ... reverse engineer... etc our software ..." and most say things like " you agree that any you send to us is ours and anything we send to you is ours ".

Most companies do not accept copyright claims if you've sent unsolicited mail to them, in fact alot of comanpies expressly state that they will not read any such mail.

So I would be careful about sending anything to microsoft or similar behemoths. What would you do if your app or something that looked exactly the same ended up in another companies product? How would you know they took your idea?

The other ideas about the shareware sites could be good cos I imagine they are geared up for the small time operator like you (and me). Alot of this is done on faith of course and nobody knows better than a developer, how many shareware programs are never registered.... (ahem)

Good Luck

Matthew, the key and software code dont matter to anybody except the user of the particular computer the codes were created on, its the Password that matters, thats where it gets messy. If somebody finds your password, EVERY single person who has the Shareware version of your program can crack the key code.

So it would be a good idea to keep your password to yourself.

[Sacofjoea]

If your program is on someones wish list and they dont have enough money to buy it, then it will eventually be cracked... I personally would look into high high encryption software...research that... It wont be full crack proof, but might stump them for a few minutes :-) Although I do have to say that companies still make money even though there are cracks because not everyone knows about them... so the know nothing computer family that has an AOL account will love your program... Advertise around that crowd... It might stay uncracked for a little bit.

[Edited by Sacofjoea on 07-04-2000 at 03:07 AM]

If you feel unsafe with ActiveLock, I suggest that you code your own protection system. The password can be based on the first letter of their Name, Address, Last Name etc. and then scramble it up a bit. To store it, you can hide it in the Registry or hide it within your own program, but even using these methods, people still have a chance of cracking it.

[ZanM]

If I do decide to shareware and try to get my app on download.com ect... I will most likely handle the timelimeted, limted edtion, ect.. myself I feel much more confadent in my ability to encrypt and decrypt regestry entries than I would with a third party control...

I was just wondering ZanM, how are you getting the person to pay you? Are you giving out your address? I am so curious on how companies and stuff do this. Because I don't/wouldn't feel safe giving out my address to a complete stranger.

[ZanM]

Thats why I started this thread because I wasn't sure what to do to get it selling. I really was thinking of selling the program and code to a company or getting a company to market it for me, but when I searched the net I didn't get anything promosing so I came here and started this thread in hopes somebody here had sold there own program and not just been comisioned or worked on a large companies program like me....

But if I do have to end uo handling it all myself for some reason I will most likely do the credit card deal or a post office box ( ie you go to my web site enter in your name card number and I gen a code and mail, e-mail, if I get a SSL gen on the fly @ the website...)

but I really don't know yet I still have to go look at the link Megatron (Galvatron looked cooler heh I just found a copy of the movie after 2 years of looking) posted and check out download.com ect..

[Ovid]

Maybe I'm missing something, but as far as shareware goes, couldn't you introduce a whole seperate program with the limited shareware features you want? Then there wouldn't be anything to crack--any features to unlock.

Yes, Kagi works well, in my opinion. I've bought something from them before and they sent my Reg code within 2 days.

I do not know how things are from the Vendor's side, but it's easy for User.

[Sacofjoea]

Gates, you can just get a P.O Box from the post office...

Or use an E-mail address. That's how the companies do it whenever I buy things of the Internet.

[Zaf Khan]

I"m just adding a twist by saying...

You could always leave the sales/security to someone else,

I would go with the ActiveLoc

DocZaf
{;->

[ZanM]

but the thing is I would have to pay them or cut them in
and I only plan to sell the home user version which will probably be the big sell for $15 - $19 and the network vesion which is only in the planning at this point for $35 - $55


Oh! and I do plan to have a shareware version and a full version but the only way that I can really limt the program because of the way it works is by giving a 30 day trial or allowing them to use it for 30 msg's or so, and that leaves me with either a reg key that a smart user could find a an ini or .... so it will be crackable whatever I do....

[musixman]

Hey,

If you are really looking to make money off of a program and you want to have a registration system.

The only way i ever found to stop crackers is a internet registration check, and allot of other little tricks to get them mad like obscure API calls and what not. Even at that they parse the data from the registration server at the client and edit it. This is the way im working it.
And it makes it a big file, maybe 100,200k extera for heavy protected program. (assume your a good programmer)

This is when they register a program,
-----------------------

User Start's Program
CRC32 Check (They can crack this)
get unique system id (see note's)
Main Registration Window
Send U.S.I.D and registration code (see note's)
Send I.P address.
Recieve is valid system id code
Allow registration
CRC32 Check (why not?)

-----------------------

Notes:
-----------------------
If anybody needs help with their registration system's and how to make them harder for crackers to get at, e-mail me i have all ready created this system and many more, and the code is easily transportable.
And one of my crackme's has never been solved hehe.

The unique system ID must be based on something that
is not editable. Like a motherboard ID, or your Network card MAC address. you can pick a couple of things. or 1

So when a person registers your program with you, you enable that unique system ID on your server and it allow the registration.

Now your saying well it's registered now, how can i keep it registered so they don't have to do this again.
Make this up yourself, i've found many way's that great.


Oh yeah and i would advise you to STAY AWAY from ANY commerical registration system's if you can and design your own.

Why? because crackers have already tried another program and figured out the weakness in that system.


L8r
MusixMan
- Give me a shout if ya need help on your system's

[steve65]

Originally posted by musixman
User Start's Program
CRC32 Check (They can crack this)
get unique system id (see note's)
Main Registration Window
Send U.S.I.D and registration code (see note's)
Send I.P address.
Recieve is valid system id code
Allow registration
CRC32 Check (why not?)

This brings up two question for me.

Where does one begin to look on how to encrypt their program? I know how to encrypt data but not a whole program.
Where can I look for HowTos, Articles or Examples on how to do a CRC32 check on my program or my data?

Thanks

I believe there are examples on CRC32 on http://www.planet-source-code.com.

[PsyVision]

Yeah, crc32 checksum is the best plus i have an app that is a very godd encrypter that stops the app from being decompiled along with stopping people extracting forms however you do that along with some stuf that will crash some hack stuff if they try to use it, goto http://www.planet-source-code.com and search for 'decompile'.

[Harrild]

That program sounds useful...
could i please have a copy??

[ZanM]

mine or one of the other ones talked about?

and if anybody wants a copy of mine you can have the shareware when its done (once I find the best way to make the program key's user specific) and any body who gets it from here that I know has helped me before I'll give a key.... sorry but I'm trying to make money you know....

[invitro]

Hey, if u wanna sell ur prog without any charge.. just a small transaction fee.
Goto http://www.beseen.com

I THINK thats right. Anyways, they have a buy it button which u can register for free, and they will only charge u like 2% or something for the transaction fee.
When someone buys something they send u a check, but ur responsible for shipping it to the people.

Its not a bad idea, but they dont really give u a choice how the BUY IT button will look on ur site. O well, check it out. Maybe u'll like it.

I never used it before.
But im thinking of using it to sell my products i make, whenever i finish them.

[vbadorer]

ZanM, what about adding ADs to your program? it is not hard. Moreover, it will prevernt your program from cracking

[ZanM]

I guess it would be a good idea but I think I would need the gif control and most likely download bundled adds and rotate threw them perodicly.... I asume thats how to do it?

but I don't want any net features in this version I want to what till version 3 when I add e-mail and possably a chat I would definatly put ads on the chat buddy list if I go that route...

[NatmanZ]

Originally posted by cwm

Originally posted by Sacofjoea
If your program is on someones wish list and they dont have enough money to buy it, then it will eventually be cracked...

heh.. i dunno bout that.. maybe "If your program isn't free, then it will eventually be cracked" would be more accurate

The ABSOLUTLY BEST way to prevent cracking, is to just NOT include parts of the program in the shareware version. Like, just remove menus totally, or cut the code out of MyMenu_Click() or MyButton_Click(). Then when the people register, they can get the whole program by email, snail mail, or something like that. The registered program could also be encoded with a CPU id or something like that to prevent distribution of the full version. Getting the CPU id is easy, just create a registration program or something like that...

[PaulLewis]

Can you explain this for me please?

I understand the concept, however is this something that all Intel and other desktop PC chips support? Are there any known gotcha's regarding using this information apart from the obvious user upgrade of their PC scenario?

I wish to node lock an app I have written too and so far I am locking it to the user's credentials as well as a their harddrive. The obvious drawback is that users can upgrade their hard drive or reformat the drive. At least in both of these cases where the user must re-install the app, they would have more of an appreciation of having to re-register.

As a user though, I HATE node-locked apps. Yet here I am advocating their deployment. Apart from dongle based security (which I also hate), I can't see a viable alternative.

Still, it would be nice to learn about getting the CPU ID.

Thanks in advance

Paul Lewis

[ZanM]

I don't even have the code for this thing anymore

[prog_tom]

Good, That sounds great, I am creating my own Encrypt Decrypt program...(Internal use only!)

I don't use any .BAS or whatever... I only use .FRM to do it...

http://www.merlinpal.com it's been updated

[Skitchen8]

um... since when do we refer to forms and modules by there extensions?? um yeah i ran IE.exe yesterday, and im working with a .mdb for a .exe im making

[chenko]

hes just trying to show off again, and again with his site.

prog_tom: get over it, you cant impress people here.

[ZanM]

back in the day we used to say we have alarge selection of *.bas, *.frm, and *.ctl files for download...... personaly I'm still kinda fond of the *.bas

ALL YOUR *.BAS ARE BELONG TO US

[eiSecure]

Originally posted by chenko
hes just trying to show off again, and again with his site.

prog_tom: get over it, you cant impress people here.

heh....maybe I'll have a go...
http://www.eisecure.com ...It's in the process of being updated. (major)

[ZanM]

please raise your hand if you've read the entire thread. The reason I posted to this again after almost 3 months is to see if anybody had any new ideas about and most everybody that posts is posting about B.S.