Or the software, as written, NEEDS to contact a server to ask the question "am I legit" - and to remove this need would require modifying the software and redis

Or the software, as written, NEEDS to contact a server to ask the question "am I legit" - and to remove this need would require modifying the software and redistributing it. Of course, if the companies funds run dry, they will stop renewing the url registration, and one of us can register it, throw up a server that says "you are legit!" To every request and the problem is solved.