A Rant about Registration Schemes

[ChristopherTD]

Having had to re-install and reactivate all my software after the recent ROM update I have to let off a little steam about the entry of activation codes.

I have all the codes associated with the PPC software that I own carefully recorded in eWallet. It should be an easy task to re-install software after a hard-reset or ROM Update, but it is made much more difficult by the fact that very few software authors allow you to paste in the registration number.

Having to key in a 24 character mixed case registration key while flipping between eWallet and the other app is infuriating.

Is it too much to ask that the key could be pasted in?

[rhmorrison]

Is it too much to ask that the key could be pasted in?
No, it's not!

[ppcinfo]

...but it is made much more difficult by the fact that very few software authors allow you to paste in the registration number.

Why can't you cut-n-paste? I do it all the time when having to re-enter reg codes. Did you try using Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v fr=rom the pop-up keyboard?

ppcinfo

[ChristopherTD]

Why can't you cut-n-paste? I do it all the time when having to re-enter reg codes. Did you try using Ctrl-c and Ctrl-v fr=rom the pop-up keyboard?


A great tip! I will try that on my next install. Usually I try tap and hold, waiting for the Paste menu to appear. I didn't know about Ctrl-V (on the desktop yes, not on the PPC).

Thanks for the tip.

[dlangton]

Copy and paste doesn't do much good when most software registration involves four or five separate fields.

[ChristopherTD]

Copy and paste doesn't do much good when most software registration involves four or five separate fields.

They are a pain also!

It would be nicer if the registration took place on the PC, and a fully registered version was installed (or re-installed without reactivation). It would, of course, be open to abuse, but then all these copy protection schemes mostly inconvenience the purchaser far more than the thieves.

[omnytex]

It would, of course, be open to abuse, but then all these copy protection schemes mostly inconvenience the purchaser far more than the thieves.

I agree. That's why I have choosen to not protect the full versions of my products at all. They would just get cracked if I did anyway, so why inconvenience honest customers?

Yes, you DO have to download the full version at the time of purchase and install it over any trial you may have installed, but I think that's a better answer than giving out codes that are going to be inconvenient to enter, or get lost, or change if you move to a new device (because why should I care if you buy a new device and want to put it on that device, you SHOULD be able to without MY permission!) Just re-install and your good to go, no codes to mess with, no hassle, aside from the re-install of course.

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[Sven Johannsen]

Another tip might be to check out the remote display power tool. It is a bit easier to type things in from your desktop keyboard. If you don't mind spending a bit for the convenience, I use Pocket Controller from SOTI for this purpose. It allows a shared desktop and PPC clipboard. You can copy out of your desktop reg code file and past into the PPC reg field.

[Zack Mahdavi]

Another tip might be to check out the remote display power tool. It is a bit easier to type things in from your desktop keyboard. If you don't mind spending a bit for the convenience, I use Pocket Controller from SOTI for this purpose. It allows a shared desktop and PPC clipboard. You can copy out of your desktop reg code file and past into the PPC reg field.

Wow, I didn't realize you could copy and paste between PC and Handheld like that. I've gotta try that out!

[Zidane]

One additional way is that the developer could provide a license file similar to Borland. They take your name, email and whatever other information, encrypt it to a file and then email it to you. Plus, now they have a license manager, so you can keep track of all of your license files for each of their programs.

The advantage this has is that if the developer absolutely feels he/she needs to protect his/her program, then if the license was distributed it could be tracked down to the originator. Plus, the end-user wouldn't have to worry about adding the codes. The license file could be synced over automatically when the program was reinstalled.

Just by two cents.

[Kacey Green]

what's worse is when registration isn't tied to anything but is completely random where you have to get a new code on every install

[pacemkr]

It would, of course, be open to abuse, but then all these copy protection schemes mostly inconvenience the purchaser far more than the thieves.

I agree. That's why I have choosen to not protect the full versions of my products at all. They would just get cracked if I did anyway, so why inconvenience honest customers?


Thats very smart in my opinion. I dont think that a registration code would stop someone from not buying the app. If the person decided to use the software illegally no registration code is going to stop them. A google group search can probably give you registration codes for anything, so why bother. I'm getting into ppc programing also and am planing on using the same approach. I think at the end it all depends on the honestly of the consumer.