kenw@noah.arc.CDN (Ken Wallewein) (06/16/89)
>Somewhere I've seen reference to a program which will control the number >of copies of a program present on a file server (AppleShare) that can >be used at one time. We have 13 Mac's on a net and have purchased >10 copies of MSWord. I can either create 10 separate copies on separate >server disks or use some sort of control program so everyone uses the >same server disk but we don't exceed our limit. Any information? >Acknowledge-To: <C4898@UMSLVMA> 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? 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. I have very little sympathy for companies who find threats cheaper than products. /kenw Ken Wallewein A L B E R T A kenw@noah.arc.cdn R E S E A R C H (403)297-2660 C O U N C I L
dave@ronin.cc.umich.edu (Dave Koziol) (06/23/89)
Larry Pickett <C4898%UMSLVMA.BITNET@umrvmb.umr.edu> writes: >Somewhere I've seen reference to a program which will control the number >of copies of a program present on a file server (AppleShare) that can >be used at one time. We have 13 Mac's on a net and have purchased >10 copies of MSWord. I can either create 10 separate copies on separate >server disks or use some sort of control program so everyone uses the >same server disk but we don't exceed our limit. Any information? >Acknowledge-To: <C4898@UMSLVMA> Ken Wallewein <kenw%noah.arc.cdn@relay.ubc.ca> writes: > 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. Here at the University of Michigan Computing Center we have written such a program. The program is called MultiLauncher, it was originally written by Shane Looker, and now I'm responsible for it maintanance. It works like this, you run the MultiLauncher Server either ontop of AppleShare, or on a dedicated mac (we run it on AppleShare). The applications are replaced with "fake" apps which look like the real thing, but instead of just running, it requestes the program from the server. The server then responds back with the launcher path if the program is available, or an error message to be displayed. (ex "All copies of MacXXXXX are check out, try again later.") A DRVR is also started which sends a packet to the server every 30 secs, when the app is quit the DRVR sends a check-in. If the users shuts the mac down, the server times out (in our case after 90secs, and checks the application back in). The only current major problem with it, is that it doesn't work well under MultiFinder. The issues I'm currently addressing in MultiLauncher are o Software Packages. For example Systat has 12 different apps, if you own 5 copies, only 5 total copies of those apps can be check out. o MultiFinder Compatibility. Right now the DRVR doesn't get killed when your quit the apps, so it doesn't get checked in until the mac is booted. o A Local copy of the program. For example, some of your users have hard disks, but you still want to include their programs in your total number of copies, and they want the speed of running the programs from their local hard disk, rather than over the network. (Yes, I know running application over the network is slow, but for some large apps they wont even fit on a 2 drive Plus. And have you ever looked at the cost of buying over 1800 hard disks? (That's how many public macs we have!) Besides, I didn't design the program, I *maintain* it... :-) ) Questions or comments about MultiLauncher can be directed to MultiLauncher_Support@um.cc.umich.edu I'm currently discussing distribution of MultiLauncher with my boss, so e-mail the above address if you'd like to see it. Dave Koziol | Internet: koziol@um.cc.umich.edu Computing Center | Bitnet: UserDave@umichum.bitnet University of Michigan | UUCP: ...!umix!um.cc.umich.edu!koziol | GEnie: D.KOZIOL1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: "They don't pay me enough to need a disclaimer"
geo@surf.sics.bu.oz (George Bray) (07/11/89)
> 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? > > 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. 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. 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. 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". > Ken Wallewein -- George Bray AppleLink: AUST0287 MacNet: GEO Pager:075-50-7004 Byte Technologies ClubMac: GEO CompuServe: 72711,253 Phone:075-95-1111 at Bond University Internet: geo@surf.sics.bu.oz.au Fax: 075-95-1160 Private Mail Bag 10 Gold Coast Mail Centre Queensland 4217 AUSTRALIA All Applicable Disclaimers Apply AADA - The Language of Lawyers
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>