Trial Mode for Application Built?

[Kevin.Shirey]

Hi, I hope to make this clear, but if not please let me know. I'm interested in making a trial mode for our application, so customers may evaluate it and perhaps decide to buy it. Currently, LabVIEW has a license manager which allows a license to dictate the use of it. Is there anything for the programmer in LabVIEW to use an example to create license for a trial mode operation and handle if users try to reinstall a product that they've designed? I'm basically looking to have our own license server or some other crude method that can work similarly. Either we could create our own licenses based on MAC addresses, or by simply keeping track of the time and the install date so the program basically expires.

What we are currently implementing is a check to place in the registry. We are limited based on the user login credentials to remain in the Current User key. By placing information here, using the Blowfish encryption, we can gather the trial mode operation (use for 90 days from this date, or by end date). The trial mode can keep track of dates and be sure they don't turn the clock backwards to gain more time and to handle the uninstallation to keep the keys in case they decide to reinstall and hope it works. Only issue is that if the user deletes these keys, we'd expect it is a first run and they can get around it. Is there another alternative to this trial mode algorithm or example that NI has to handle issues like this?

Thanks, --Kevin Shirey

Certified LabVIEW Developer 8.5

[MikeS81]

Hi Kevin,

i think you start with a good method and i think the next step could only be to implement a server solution. What happens if the user reinstall the OS or run your software in a virtual machine? You can´t check it. To make it a bit more difficult you can write another key into your registry to another place.

Hope it helps.

Mike

Message Edited by MikeS81 on 08-20-2008 09:00 AM