My thoughts on "serial" measure

[Cameri]

Here's what I think:
1. We could have in our programs a window that shows up first, it's got a web page opened, pointing to TP's forum of course, there you can see the latest or hot topics in the forum at the time, i'll call it the Advertising Screen. Some kind of MOTD too. Just like the first screen that popups when you are playing RO, that let you patch your game. But well, this is not about patching so we could use it to just show a web page.
Below the web page thing, there will be your serial, an OK and Cancel button. The serial will be there if you had typed it before and it was valid.

People constantly change their hardware signature, a lot of people reformat, I really don't know how it will work but you guys figure it out, hopefully we won't that many problems.

About the PHP thing, I can make it without problems.

In .NET you can send HTTP POST/GET Requests very easily, the .NET Framework have objects for such things in System.Net.

These are my ideas for now...

[MadPrgmr]

Heh, there's been a LOT of thought poured into the topic of copy protection.

Here are some assorted solutions:
1. Use remote validation (where a remote server approves or disapproves the program's permission to run based on some sort of verification...usually the serial or an embedded unique value).
Pro: More resistant to tampering, and illegitimate users can easily be found.
Con: You need a remote server that doesn't go down.

2. Use a serial that corresponds with a hardward-based hash. This is the one Cameri is against.
Pro: As the serial is relatively unique, it's rather unlikely that one person's serial will work on a different person's system. Also, the developer doesn't need to recompile it for each customer, as they would if they used a unique built-in hash.
Con: System configurations change, thus, keys need to be reissued.

3. Use an embedded hash. Instead of a hardware-based hash, a unique hash is embedded in each copy of the program.
Pro: About as secure as the hardware-based hash method, but with its drawbacks.
Con: Each copy has to individually processed.

4. Use a remote server to provide some small, but necessary, piece of information to the program upon provision of a valid serial. This piece of information must be vital to the program's ability to run.
Pro: Highly resistant to cracks.
Con: A remote server that is ALWAYS up is required, or the users will get angry. Also, the program must actually need some sort of information, preferably that changes frequently, in order to be effective.

[Zyphrus]

Well I'm pretty dead set on an idea like this, the second I thought of the reasoning behind it started to make me think about how much more TProgramming would get accredited for its work.

For example, We're making quite a few programs and these programs are getting spread on probably tons of other websites, Enforcing a serial system would insure that people would have to come to TProgramming in order to activate the piece of software. Which in turn would bring people to TProgramming and they'd be interested in just staying here rather than hanging around tibiafans or wherever they were previously..

We need to find a method of doing this that is somewhat secure, whichever route we decide to take we're gonna have problems with people cracking it and such, but thats almost inevitable, even Microsoft a multi billion dollar corporation can't stop it..

[ExpertMace]

Possibly set up a sub-domain upder the tp server to verify programs? For example http://www.activation.tpforums.net. The program can be activated that way possibly I assume.

Mace.

[Xura]

This would be quite nice.. But maby we would lose members since alot of the leechers might be to lazy to do all that :S