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How did you lock a php based software with a license? Could not they just dig into code and remove the license restrictions, since you provided them with the co

by usaphp 7y ago

How did you lock a php based software with a license? Could not they just dig into code and remove the license restrictions, since you provided them with the code?

krn 7y ago
Zend Guard[1] was often used for licensing PHP code in mid-2000s. [1] https://www.zend.com/products/zend-guard https://www.zend.com/products/zend-guard
- amenod 7y ago
  And IonCube PHP Encoder [0] (not affiliated, had positive experience with them as a customer). These apps solve real-world problem - sometimes it makes sense from business perspective to make copying the software more difficult. [0] https://www.ioncube.com/ https://www.ioncube.com/
wongarsu 7y ago
As the other comment states there are ways, but given the comment I imagine it went more like "give me $x and I send you the files", just like DRM free music. Technical restrictions aren't required legally or socially, and whether they are useful depends on the context (e.g. full hackability due to source code access can drive a lot of sales and build a community, just like with open source)
ddebernardy 7y ago
You don't need to lock the software in practice. Your customers don't usually bother with redistributing what you're selling. With few exceptions, resellers (designers, web shops, etc.) don't do so either. Basically, if your customers or resellers screw you badly they don't get to piggyback on what you're building. That's not to say piracy doesn't happen at all or can be ignored. You will find your software on file sharing websites eventually. But, quite frankly, it doesn't matter that much in practice, because free riders eventually come knocking at your door for support or an upgrade -- at which points you go "Mmm, I'm not seeing you in my customer list". And when they're students, they're really just learning how to use your software -- which you can view as free marketing. Source: I lived off of selling licenses for OSS that I was developing for about a decade.

by usaphp 7y ago

How did you lock a php based software with a license? Could not they just dig into code and remove the license restrictions, since you provided them with the code?

krn 7y ago

Zend Guard[1] was often used for licensing PHP code in mid-2000s. [1] https://www.zend.com/products/zend-guard https://www.zend.com/products/zend-guard

amenod 7y ago
And IonCube PHP Encoder [0] (not affiliated, had positive experience with them as a customer). These apps solve real-world problem - sometimes it makes sense from business perspective to make copying the software more difficult. [0] https://www.ioncube.com/ https://www.ioncube.com/

wongarsu 7y ago

As the other comment states there are ways, but given the comment I imagine it went more like "give me $x and I send you the files", just like DRM free music. Technical restrictions aren't required legally or socially, and whether they are useful depends on the context (e.g. full hackability due to source code access can drive a lot of sales and build a community, just like with open source)

ddebernardy 7y ago

You don't need to lock the software in practice. Your customers don't usually bother with redistributing what you're selling. With few exceptions, resellers (designers, web shops, etc.) don't do so either. Basically, if your customers or resellers screw you badly they don't get to piggyback on what you're building. That's not to say piracy doesn't happen at all or can be ignored. You will find your software on file sharing websites eventually. But, quite frankly, it doesn't matter that much in practice, because free riders eventually come knocking at your door for support or an upgrade -- at which points you go "Mmm, I'm not seeing you in my customer list". And when they're students, they're really just learning how to use your software -- which you can view as free marketing. Source: I lived off of selling licenses for OSS that I was developing for about a decade.