Maintenance Plan

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

I have a question about the MP: Lets say that a user has bought a product
without MP. What prevents this user from downloading the FULL install and
installing it and thereby getting the latest version instead of using the
Web Update? How can I prevent that?

--
Arnor Baldvinsson
Icetips Creative, Inc

[NewsArchive]

Hi Arnor,

> I have a question about the MP: Lets say that a user has bought a product
> without MP. What prevents this user from downloading the FULL install and
> installing it and thereby getting the latest version instead of using the
> Web Update? How can I prevent that?

Both your full *and* update installations should support the maintenance
plan.

If a user buys the product without a MP, create a MP for him that is only
valid for this specific version. Okay, he can install the current version.
Then you make an update available. He downloads the (web) update and the
maintenance protection does not allow him to install/update. He is smart
and downloads the full version. Same story. The maintenance feature does
not allow to install because his MP expired.

Does this help?

BTW, we are doing this for more than three years now in SetupBuilder. Not a
single problem :) The full installation even supports an update/repair
functionality. It's smart enough to "remember" the MP so, if the customer
makes use of the full install, there is no need to enter the maintenance
plan again. You can update SetupBuilder itself via the full install or a
web install. Absolutely no difference.

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

>Both your full *and* update installations should support the maintenance
>plan.
>
>If a user buys the product without a MP, create a MP for him that is only
>valid for this specific version.

So he has to enter a MP even if he doesn't buy one? Could that be
done by the installer? I.e. I let the BA call a program that
generates the MP for the current version (which I now completely
control in BA - VC, Clarion and SB:), then pass that to SB via command
line (probably too long) or pick it up from a file, place that in a
variable that is used to write to a reg key...

Note that I also have a demo that should not have MP but obviously
needs to work without one.

I need to plough through the docs again and refresh this;) I'm
downloading the latest docs to make sure I'm upto date:)

Best regards,

Arnór Baldvinsson
Icetips Creative, Inc.
San Antonio, Texas, USA
www.icetips.com


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[NewsArchive]

Good question. A default maintenance plan for the current version
only......

paul macfarlane

[NewsArchive]

Hi

I have customers that download software for evaluation. they can then
purchase the software with or without a maintenance plan.

To stop them from installing a version that is not allowed, or copy someone
else's valid version over their software, I do the following...

On installation, I get some information from the system and also the exe
program crc. this I store somewhere. Each time the system starts up, it
looks to see if the program crc is still the same as the stored crc.

If the yhave a valid maintenance agreement, I update the stored crc with the
program crc, else it is a 'readonly' situation.

Some nice messages if the crc does not match, and they can not get into
their program any more.

One message says, 'An invalid installation has been detected and is stopping
you from entering your program. Until this problem is resolved, the program
protects your data by locking it down.If you feel this is in error, please
contact ....bla bla bla....'

Works like a dream, and caught quite a few 'shareware friends' that way that
are now paying customers...

Once they understand that i need money to build and maintain an
infrustructure to support them, they are quite willing to pay.

Kind Regards

Ben

[NewsArchive]

Hi Ben,

>To stop them from installing a version that is not allowed, or copy someone
>else's valid version over their software, I do the following...

Thanks for the ideas:) I'm using Armadillo to protect the app itself
and just want to plug this hole before I do the final release:)

Best regards,

Arnór Baldvinsson
Icetips Creative, Inc.
San Antonio, Texas, USA
www.icetips.com


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http://www.icetips.com/subscribe.php

[NewsArchive]

> Hi Friedrich,
>
>>Both your full *and* update installations should support the maintenance
>>plan.
>>
>>If a user buys the product without a MP, create a MP for him that is only
>>valid for this specific version.
>
> So he has to enter a MP even if he doesn't buy one? Could that be
> done by the installer?

Arnór,

Of course, Friedrich will have to give you the definitive answer for
suggestions how to implement it, but if you notice on his order page - all
his SetupBuilder products have a minimal MP.

Developer Edition - 60-day Bronze Maintenance

Professional Edition - 6-month Silver Maintenance Plan

David

--
From David Troxell - Product Scope 7 - Encourager Software
Clarion Third Party Profile Exchange Online
http://encouragersoftware.com/profile/clarlinks.html
http://www.encouragersoftware.com/
http://www.profileexchanges.com/blog/

[NewsArchive]

Hi David,

>Of course, Friedrich will have to give you the definitive answer for
>suggestions how to implement it, but if you notice on his order page - all
>his SetupBuilder products have a minimal MP.

Excellent point! Hadn't thought of that angle:)

Best regards,

Arnór Baldvinsson
Icetips Creative, Inc.
San Antonio, Texas, USA
www.icetips.com


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http://www.icetips.com/subscribe.php

[NewsArchive]

> Good question. A default maintenance plan for the current version
> only......

Yes, no problem. Just create a maintenance plan for a specific version (and
leave the "Verification ID" and "Valid Until Date" fields empty).

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Hi Arnór,

> So he has to enter a MP even if he doesn't buy one? Could that be
> done by the installer? I.e. I let the BA call a program that
> generates the MP for the current version (which I now completely
> control in BA - VC, Clarion and SB:), then pass that to SB via command
> line (probably too long) or pick it up from a file, place that in a
> variable that is used to write to a reg key...

Sorry for my late reply, but the SV newsgroup was down.

It's always a good idea to have an "unique" maintenance plan that works for
a specific customer only. So Joe User can't use Fred's maintenance plan to
"extend" his SetupBuilder subscription.

But of course, a "default" maintenance plan is possible. What we do in
SetupBuilder is the following: we create a "default" maintenance plan for
new SetupBuilder online orders. This maintenance plan works for all serial
numbers, but for a specific version only. For example, SetupBuilder 6.7
Build 2219. When a new Build becomes available, this maintenance plan stops
working.

BTW, are you using the same installer to install a demo or full version of
your product(s)? Something like the following dialog:

(X) Install Demo Version of yadayada
( ) Install Full Version of yadayada

If this is the case, you can simply "disable" the maintenance verification
if the installer runs in demo installation mode.

You can even have several different maintenance plans in the same installer
to protect different products!

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

>Hi Arnór,
>BTW, are you using the same installer to install a demo or full version of
>your product(s)? Something like the following dialog:
>
>(X) Install Demo Version of yadayada
>( ) Install Full Version of yadayada
>
>If this is the case, you can simply "disable" the maintenance verification
>if the installer runs in demo installation mode.

I'll mull this over and see what plans work for me - thanks for the
help:)

Best regards,

Arnór Baldvinsson
Icetips Creative, Inc.
San Antonio, Texas, USA
www.icetips.com


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