kdb@intercon.uu.net (Kurt Baumann) (07/14/89)
In article <278@surf.sics.bu.oz>, geo@surf.sics.bu.oz (George Bray) writes: > > Software developers love to threaten people with lawsuits for unlicensed > use > > of their products. Yet where have you ever seen a single one of those > > developers do anything to _help_ people who want to comply with the licensing > > requirements? We offer a server license of our products. The big question is what are you willing to pay, and what exactly do you want? As a developer these are important but hard questions, and many times it is easier to just say, hey buy one copy of our stuff for everyone you need a copy for. Our server prices are based on the maximum number of people you have on that server and how many we think are going to be using the product at any given time. Is that fair? > > > > And if one says it can't be done -- balderdash! I've thought of reasonable > >methods which will function with or without networks, while not diminishing > the > > utility of the product. If I can do it without a lot of effort, there must > > be a number of methods backed by solid theoretical study. What methods have you thought of? I would be curious, perhaps you could help us to do a better job. > > If only the application could ask the server where it resides how many > people are using it, it could disallow more than the licensed number. This > assumes that you have convinced the users that running it from the > server isn't THAT slow. What I felt is more likely to happen is that users will just copy it off of the server in order to use a product anyway. Why should we go through all of the trouble when it is easier to just say to buy a copy of the package for every user? What is everyones feeling about this? > > Why don't more of the developers check for users like quickmail? Check > the network for concurrent users of the same application. CE software > however, only has ten-user packs. I think that you can upgrade to more than ten, but you have to purchase another ten pack. > > It would be really nice if the developer said " You can use this software > on your network as much as you want. Every year you pay a fee based on the > current number of users". What would be a fair price? How does the developer know how many people use it? Got any good ideas? > > > Ken Wallewein > > > -- > George Bray We have been searching for a good way to allow companies to use our software on a server without costing them an arm and a leg, but also allowing us to realize our profit margin. We could take the hard headed attitude of saying you want 15 users on your server well buy 15 units of our package. That's fair, but is it helpful or useful? What do you folks think? -- Kurt Baumann InterCon Systems Corporation 46950 Community Plaza Suite 101-132 Sterling, VA 22170 Phone: 703.450.7117
falken@apple.com (Dave Falkenburg) (07/14/89)
In article <1268@intercon.UUCP> kdb@intercon.uu.net (Kurt Baumann) writes: > What methods have you thought of? I would be curious, perhaps you could > help us to do a better job. there are a few methods that i can think of right away: 1) have the server monitor keep a ref count for opening up the resource fork of a file (since AFP is statefull, unlike nfs, this wouldn't be impossible) Basically, AppleShare could work this alot like the "copy protection" in AppleShare 2.0 2) devise a license validation/ check-in / check-out protocol that can be implemented by vendors. This would require a great deal of cooperation. -dave falkenburg disclaimer: i don't work for networking & communications, i'm in system software #include <disclaimer.h>