5 ms·

"Also, I'm surprised no one has mentioned a controversial practice I know that others have used: time bombs in the software. It goes something like this: Here i

by crikli 16y ago

"Also, I'm surprised no one has mentioned a controversial practice I know that others have used: time bombs in the software. It goes something like this: Here is your working version which we will make permanent when you're paid in full." If you have to resort to this practice, you have already failed. Tripping the time bomb will get you sued, not paid, and you will lose. You may even go to jail.

icey 16y ago
I think it's a matter of perspective. We do this with enterprise software, except we don't call it a "time bomb". "We've deployed your installation with a provisional, expiring license. We'll issue your permanent license once you've confirmed the software is installed and configured to your liking." Then when they send the check, we send the license. It's never been a problem for any of the parties because we've always been very up front about how the process works. No surprises.
- crikli 16y ago
  Sure...I guess when I hear "time bomb" I think of something that wipes source code or data. Something that alters the bits and bytes. That's the thing that will cause you a world of hurt. What you're talking about is of course totally legit.
  - artmageddon 16y ago
    Yeah, using that kind of "time bomb" would be ridiculously bad. I've always looked at that as breaking into the premises and manipulating / burning the books. I sold a piece of software to a local business a few months ago that works on expiring dates. Each payment I get from the owner pushes back the expiration date until I get the full amount, at which point it's theirs forever(it's worth mentioning that so far things are great). We didn't agree to a contract for the work I did, so I can only hope I don't get screwed over some how in the future. It was my first freelance job though, so I guess there's a lesson to be learned.
  - elai 16y ago
    That's just distasteful to delete data. Just encrypt it with a public key.
- kd0amg 16y ago
  And with consumer software, it's called "shareware."
- tom_b 16y ago
  We use an open source product with a paid support contract. I took over admin of this tool last year and was shocked to find that we get a license year-to-year for the product based on renewing our support contract. So, a free tool has a provisional, expiring license. I think this is kind of bull, personally. Especially given that we pay a 5 figure support contract in an effort to support dev efforts on the product. We generate minimal support requests. I recently found a bug in their product, their first line of support couldn't figure it out even though I sent them a detailed explanation along with a pointer to their source code where the fix should be. Maybe next year, I'll just fix my own bugs and not bother with the support contract . . .
  - powertower 16y ago
    Sounds like they provide two versions: GPL version with no support. NON-GPL version with support. This is a widely used method for monetizing own projects with enterprises as they feel safer using NON-GPL apps/code for perceived legal issues.
    - spitfire 16y ago
      Don't forget critical (easy to implement) feature is only available in the most expensive support plan.
- originalgeek 16y ago
  That's not a time bomb, and if it is written in the contract, you are golden. But pop up a surprise denial of software, and you may be looking at felony computer intrusion charges.
cabalamat 16y ago
> Tripping the time bomb will get you sued, not paid, and you will lose. Not if it was in the original contract.
- kovar 16y ago
  I guarantee you that a halfway decent lawyer would still find a way to sue you and win. Any lawyer could find a way to sue you and the ensuing legal scuffle would consume more money than you made on the project. Just one of many points they'd raise - once the client pays, that kill switch is still present and could be tripped by the developer, the developer's employer, a hacker, or accidentally.
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - gte910h 16y ago
    2 things: 1> When you make time limited software: You provide a different version that's just the demo - killswitch for the final delivery after final payment. 2> You don't delete their data ever. That's their data. It's their work. Nothing can make it your work. Use of the demo to make their work can be an implicit acceptance of any contract making them pay you, but don't ever screw with their data/work.
gte910h 16y ago
Time limited software is a key to good demo versions for in house enterprise-ware.

by crikli 16y ago

icey 16y ago

I think it's a matter of perspective. We do this with enterprise software, except we don't call it a "time bomb". "We've deployed your installation with a provisional, expiring license. We'll issue your permanent license once you've confirmed the software is installed and configured to your liking." Then when they send the check, we send the license. It's never been a problem for any of the parties because we've always been very up front about how the process works. No surprises.

crikli 16y ago
Sure...I guess when I hear "time bomb" I think of something that wipes source code or data. Something that alters the bits and bytes. That's the thing that will cause you a world of hurt. What you're talking about is of course totally legit.
- artmageddon 16y ago
  Yeah, using that kind of "time bomb" would be ridiculously bad. I've always looked at that as breaking into the premises and manipulating / burning the books. I sold a piece of software to a local business a few months ago that works on expiring dates. Each payment I get from the owner pushes back the expiration date until I get the full amount, at which point it's theirs forever(it's worth mentioning that so far things are great). We didn't agree to a contract for the work I did, so I can only hope I don't get screwed over some how in the future. It was my first freelance job though, so I guess there's a lesson to be learned.
- elai 16y ago
  That's just distasteful to delete data. Just encrypt it with a public key.
kd0amg 16y ago
And with consumer software, it's called "shareware."
tom_b 16y ago
We use an open source product with a paid support contract. I took over admin of this tool last year and was shocked to find that we get a license year-to-year for the product based on renewing our support contract. So, a free tool has a provisional, expiring license. I think this is kind of bull, personally. Especially given that we pay a 5 figure support contract in an effort to support dev efforts on the product. We generate minimal support requests. I recently found a bug in their product, their first line of support couldn't figure it out even though I sent them a detailed explanation along with a pointer to their source code where the fix should be. Maybe next year, I'll just fix my own bugs and not bother with the support contract . . .
- powertower 16y ago
  Sounds like they provide two versions: GPL version with no support. NON-GPL version with support. This is a widely used method for monetizing own projects with enterprises as they feel safer using NON-GPL apps/code for perceived legal issues.
  - spitfire 16y ago
    Don't forget critical (easy to implement) feature is only available in the most expensive support plan.
originalgeek 16y ago
That's not a time bomb, and if it is written in the contract, you are golden. But pop up a surprise denial of software, and you may be looking at felony computer intrusion charges.

cabalamat 16y ago

> Tripping the time bomb will get you sued, not paid, and you will lose. Not if it was in the original contract.

kovar 16y ago
I guarantee you that a halfway decent lawyer would still find a way to sue you and win. Any lawyer could find a way to sue you and the ensuing legal scuffle would consume more money than you made on the project. Just one of many points they'd raise - once the client pays, that kill switch is still present and could be tripped by the developer, the developer's employer, a hacker, or accidentally.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- gte910h 16y ago
  2 things: 1> When you make time limited software: You provide a different version that's just the demo - killswitch for the final delivery after final payment. 2> You don't delete their data ever. That's their data. It's their work. Nothing can make it your work. Use of the demo to make their work can be an implicit acceptance of any contract making them pay you, but don't ever screw with their data/work.

gte910h 16y ago

Time limited software is a key to good demo versions for in house enterprise-ware.