License / Registration key enabled software

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:39:58 -0700, T wrote:

> 
> Umm...I was hoping for something simpler and more straight forward.  Is
> there a module that would be useful for this type of thing?

It really helps if you quote the relevant bits of the email you are
replying to. Otherwise, people who come along and see your post will ask
"Simpler than what? Module useful for what sort of thing? What is this
luser talking about?"

To implement a licence/registration key system in Python, you should first
answer a couple of simple questions:

Q1. Is my software so precious and special that users will put up with the
inconvenience and nuisance value of registration keys?

If the answer is No, then don't use registration keys. Find a different
model to make money: give the software away and charge for support, or
something. Using registration keys won't bring in money for you if your
users just stop using the software and use a competing product instead.

If the answer is Yes, then go on to question 2:

Q2. Are you sure?

If the answer is still Yes, then read this and see if it helps:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keygen



-- 
Steven.