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2569

answers:

6

We're looking to replace our current, in-house developed trial-version activation system for our .NET application with something off the shelf.

To clarify the question I'm asking, let me point out some ground we've already covered (and related questions already asked here), and some other requirements we have:

Given these requirements, what's the best license/activation system for us?

+1  A: 

One solution we're considering is Nalpeiron, which seems to fit our requirements reasonably well.

TimB
Their site states $5,000 for a single activation server. And I couldn't find anything about .NET specific code on their site. Please post a follow up if you have used this with .NET software.
Jason Short
TimB
A: 

We have been using Desaware and with its extensibility and out of the box functionality, its quite a great piece of licensing software.

Not to mention, its made by Dan Appleman

http://www.desaware.com

Tom Anderson
+1  A: 

Microsoft have launched their own Software Licensing and Protection Services product. I haven't used it so can't vouch for it, but Microsoft software is normally built to a high standard, and they certainly have plenty of experience of this type of thing with Windows and Office.

Greg Beech
Downvoters... care to provide a reason? If you have had negative experiences with this then it would probably be more useful to share it than simply to downvote without a comment.
Greg Beech
+3  A: 

Seriously take a look at Intellilock. It is an off the shelf type system that is very cost effective. You control the level of locks and how many hoops you want your customer to jump through. Don't accept a one size fits all solution when you can customize it.

We have used the Desaware system in the past and I personally found it to be a much lower level implemenation that I really wanted. You end up writing a lot of the backend systems yourself to manage keys and users.

Don't use the Microsoft one. It is crazy expensive for small business. Unless you have a mega huge budget I wouldn't use it. I personally could have hired a programmer for a full year for the price it was going to cost us to implement their SLPS system! Yikes. I would rather spend that time making the product better.

Jason Short
@Jason are you currently using Intellilock, because it looks decently priced and quite cool. Also it's not nice that you don't have to pay for another obfuscator.
dr. evil
Yes, we are still using them today. The obfuscation is good, and the locking is ok. They are a small company, so support can be slow sometimes. But they are always eager to add things for you, and to help.
Jason Short
A: 

Microsoft has discontinued SLPS; I suggest the you take a look at the OffByZero Cobalt software licensing solution for .NET. You can check out a short screencast to see how easy it is to integrate Cobalt with your software.

Cobalt also features web service end-points that allow easy integration with existing websites; take a look at this PHP sample for a demonstration of licence creation & emailing.

Obligatory disclaimer: Cobalt is produced by a company I co-founded.

Duncan Bayne
A: 

CryptoLicensing does what you want. It comes with a ready license server for activation and hardware-locking. It also supports e-commerce providers for integration into your order fulfillment process.

logicnp