Topic: Password Protected And Time Limited Applications

[wannabe]

Is it possible to make it so that code I create will need to be renewed or stop working after a certain time? Like say if my company no longer requires my services, then seeing as it's not in my contract or financial recompense, I think the hours I will have spent on this code should rleave it's use at my discretion. However, I wan't to help people out and earn a name for myself, so it's ideal that I can distribute the code but maintain the discretion of its use.

I'll be using C# for all my code.

I expect many of you are in a similar position, so any advice would be much appreciated.

[New Shooz]

I thought that any code that you produce at work in relation to your job is and shall remain the property of the company; even after your employment ceases ?

[David Hall]

I am pretty sure he is creating this on the side

[MP]

In my opinion putting a time bomb on applications you write for any employer is the surest way to ensure (1) they never use your services again (2) you earn a reputation for applications that crater. A programmer's job security should be that one possesses a high level of expertise, imagination and reliability, not "If you let me go your apps won't work anymore".

[Spike Wilbury]

It will be a bad choice.

[New Shooz]

Ok then, aside from any moral / political issues; is it possible ?

[MP]

Is this a trick question?

[wannabe]

I'm not actually a programmer and I'll be producing all the code in my own time partly for works purposes. Hardly fair if they reap all the benefit without any recompense for me.

If they decide to pay for it then they can have it for keeps. But otherwise I think I'm professionally and morally correct to withold all discretion of its use.

If I just hand it over, no-one in other offices will know its mine and no-one will care when I've made all of their jobs easier.

Please don't think bad of me, and do try to empathise.

[Spike Wilbury]

I'm not actually a programmer and I'll be producing all the code in my own time partly for works purposes. Hardly fair if they reap all the benefit without any recompense for me.

If they decide to pay for it then they can have it for keeps. But otherwise I think I'm professionally and morally correct to withold all discretion of its use.

If I just hand it over, no-one in other offices will know its mine and no-one will care when I've made all of their jobs easier.

Please don't think bad of me, and do try to empathise.

Been there, some moons ago.... I learn that if I don't want to share something, simple don't do it and on the last 3 jobs (and in my particular case many of the places I had work they just do not care less about being productive), I do not mention anything about programming, and also I even try to use the minimum of my stuff, while working and only use what they provide to me.

That, help me a lot, what I have done for people that cares is to simple gave some of my work for free (many of my stuff is here for example) and to fill the curiosity of getting paid as a programmer, well I do it on a side in my home.

[It's Alive!]

We don’t think badly of you, it’s just some of us have been down this road before and been burned

Ps: If you write the software at home, take it to work, install the software on company computers so you can say,
hey everyone, look at what I wrote. The company owns that copy.

[wannabe]

We don’t think badly of you, it’s just some of us have been down this road before and been burned

Ps: If you write the software at home, take it to work, install the software on company computers so you can say,
hey everyone, look at what I wrote. The company owns that copy.

SD
But what can they do when it's password protected and the source files is not available to them.

I suppose I need to take a step back from all this. Learn from what you guys are telling me and think what would be the ideal in terms of getting my programmins skills across to others and recognized and rewarded.

Cheers.


But going back to the original question, is it possible?

I mean, if I work for myself and lease out my programs on a subscription basis, then there is no arguement against my rationale.

[Atook]

Wannabe,

Moral issues aside, it's simple enough on initializing the project, to check the system time, and run an 'if' statement on it. You're essentially forced to update the software by the date you specify however.

Code: [Select]

if now < SomeSpecifiedDate then
  continue
else
  msgbox " OMG wannabe has m4dskillz you shoulda kept him!!!11one one"
end if

SomeSpecifiedDate can be a registry setting or license file in the install folder.

Looking at the ethical side of it, I would heed the advice given so far. MP, Luis and Daniel have real world experience with it, and it sounds like it's probably not in your best interest.

I would say instead, that you keep the installation files and never turn those over. Your application will work on existing installations, but be a PITA to transfer manually. If you leave, your application will most likely die with the upgrade.

[Spike Wilbury]

Don't know much about obfuscation in C# - but what I have done is to write an ObjectARX application (ARXKey) where I implemented the Rijndael algorithm, I posted here a sample of of one of my applications, that uses this protection (But I did not went the date/time route, I simple let the user use some of the command and the potential), and it is tested on ARX and C# code/apps (and no ARXKey it is not open source) but maybe will give you an idea.

Here:

http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=24000.0

[sinc]

Without obfuscation, anyone with a modicum of knowledge can simply decompile a .NET DLL and gain complete access to the source code.  There are a number of obfuscators out there, but they vary widely in quality and price.  Expect to pay a significant amount of money to get something that will actually do a good job of protection - in this, you really do get what you pay for.  Some of the cheap solutions do practically nothing to secure your code, and only raise the bar from "very low" to "still pretty low".

[dgorsman]

I have seen a few programs that are run-limited by "tokens".  Basically, the end-user purchases a set number of times (tokens) that the program can be run.  The application was a utility which automated creation of data files for another program, so this set-up kind of makes sense.  For a more general application or suite of tools inside AutoCAD you would be better off investing in some kind of proper licensing scheme (along with some legal advice).

However, like the others have said, if you make it, modify it, or volunteer it for use on the hiring company computer or time you are charging to the company, then its *probably* theirs.  In fact, you might even technically be in breach - quite a few companies have clauses that prevent employees from installing unapproved stuff on the companies computer, even if it is rarely enforced.  I can't say for certain, as you should be familiar with your own terms of employment.

[wannabe]

I think a system where my name pops up with my company and personal contact details as a means of "user-support" may be better.

Anyone agree?

[MP]

ding ding we have a winner

[mcarson]

Is it possible to make it so that code I create will need to be renewed or stop working after a certain time? Like say if my company no longer requires my services, then seeing as it's not in my contract or financial recompense, I think the hours I will have spent on this code should rleave it's use at my discretion. However, I wan't to help people out and earn a name for myself, so it's ideal that I can distribute the code but maintain the discretion of its use.

I'll be using C# for all my code.

I expect many of you are in a similar position, so any advice would be much appreciated.

In my opinion it would be much easier to approach your company and discuss what you can do to save time. Working in IT, most agreements do have a clause about unauthorised software, so I would:

1) Talk to the IT department/person
2) If you are loading it onto a computer you don't own, document it (manage the risk if it breaks)

I would also be sure that your employment contract permits working as a separate company/entity as this may pose additional problems

By far, discussing and demonstrating how your skills can be used can allow you to progress in your current employment. Going in your proposed direction could be VERY bad.

[jonesy]

I think a system where my name pops up with my company and personal contact details as a means of "user-support" may be better.

Anyone agree?

The company I work for has several applications written by staff in a different office, each time you open the commands, the dialog  box has the name of the person who wrote it on either the header or the main body. I think the way forward would be to get in touch with the person in charge of the company CAD system... in the company I work for, we have a corporate CAD Manager, who tests and implements CAD software, but in your company it might be the IT Dept.
Good luck with it