I really don't want to encode chunks of my PHP code with Ioncube or similar compilers. It doesn't support community development and code contribution, so I'm trying to find a decent middle ground. I am referring to compiling in some licensing code along with vital system code, to stop multiple instances of one license and illegal reproduction. Is it true that vBulletin has their licensing code in plain sight? I realize that their forum systems are available through torrent and such, but how are they still in business if this is the case? On webmaster forums, such as this one, I've seen people selling pirated scripts - falsely saying they own resell rights. Why doesn't this happen with vBulletin? At the end of the day, I don't want people reselling or reusing my code illegally, but I also don't want to make life difficult for those with good intentions. What do you think? What would be the better option in the long term? I have put a lot of thought into this - If I were to ramble about my entire opinion I'm sure I'd hit the character limit. I'm looking for both ethical and technical thoughts on the matter.
This is tough one for sure and I have been thinking about the same thing.I guess the simplest way is by creating a database of clients that are infact licenced t use your script and updates are pulled directly from your server after passing an MD check. While is will no doubt get nulled and be on the warez forums, you still stand a bettr chance. Its kinda like retail products that get stolen and there is no real way to once and for all eliminate theft, but you can deter it for sure by keeping track of the domains licensed to user your product. An another angle is to create a "bounty-hunter" system that would reward other paying members for reporting nulled versions in use o something, this would obviously be vulnerable to fraud in itself so mapping it out would take a serious think tank session.
Absolutely easterwolf. This whole concept has been a serious thinktank session for me over the past several weeks. I've just recently been browsing the vBulletin forums for a while seeing how they deal with it. I think the issue is a lack of branding. A small business, say one making their first steps in software sales such as myself, isn't going to have much of a name. People take advantage of this by saying they're registered resellers and such, and people will believe them because the true people behind the systems they're selling aren't widely known. On the other hand, Jelsoft as an example has the resources to hire piracy management services and their company name is "out there" to the point where most people should recognize whether they're looking at a pirate salesman or not. A database callback system is an absolute necessity, even though it is essentially useless if not encrypted. It will at least provide some amount of management ability for a small percentage of pirated copies. It's such a tough decision. Protecting something that so much time has gone into, versus respecting your clients by providing full source code at the expense of rampant piracy and profit loss. I am torn between the two. Ah... The wonders of software business... This is going to be a very interesting adventure.
For the database callback try to put it deep inside some files or like with some other function that has name that a normal class would have. Also make sure to put more than 1 check to make sure its not nulled, just to make it harder for the person trying to get everything working on the nulled script. Like a class/function that checks to see that the database callback function is there and another function to check that the checker is there, all in different locations of the script. (not sure if that made sense, kinda hard to explain) If you do get unlucky and see people are selling/using nulled versions of your script try and go directly to the host saying that they are running a pirated version of some paid software. (Also be sure to keep an eye out on forums and google your script name to see whats going on with it)