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If you want to implement licensing module in downloadable php application that need:

  • to allow application to run only on specified domain(s)
  • to be impossible to remove or go around
  • to work without Zend Optimizer or Ioncube loader (i.e. without encoding whole application)

what you think is best way to do it? If encoder is needed, do you see solution that encoding is used only for licensing module related logic i.e. allowing application to be altered without compromising licensing?

Cheers

Balchev
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    Impossible, don't bother, you'll waste a lot of time and effort for absolutely nothing. Simply require that users read and agree to an EULA before they're allowed to download your code. – user229044 Sep 11 '10 at 22:07
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    You want your application to be quite open source. Users can read and modify code. I can't think of a technical way of preventing them from doing whatever they want. – LatinSuD Sep 11 '10 at 22:08

2 Answers2

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Anti-copy schemes just don't work. See numerous previous posts on this site & elsewhere.

You cannot stop people from copying your code.

You could, I supose obfuscate it, mkaing it very difficult for them to change. And, maybe buried in there (or as a necessary .exe, without whcih your code won't function0, you could 'phone home and gradually build a database of IP addresses that are using your code - although I am not sure what that would get you.

Give up on the idea, plan to erly on lawyers if necessary, and put your efforts into developing your product.

Mawg says reinstate Monica
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I have taken advantage of the latest version of PHP 5.6 which has some new features that can be leveraged in to a licensing and distribution trialware. You can now distribute password protected files and demo applications.

Since there are some best practices to doing this correctly. I am distributing a demonstration website application showing how to setup your apps so they can be launched and checked in real-time for licenses codes just like a desktop application. As a matter of fact the protection extends to the desktop. I am selling the initial code to developers via binpress.com at fhqk.binpress.com. The online demo is http://fhqk.com/informationtechnology/ssl (Simple Secure Licensing)

Carl McDade
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  • Hmm, you might want to check your logs. Submitting your registration form results in a series of PHP errors: "Notice: Undefined variable: output in /var/vhosts/fhqk.com/www/informationtechnology/ssl/index.php on line 250". – halfer Apr 14 '15 at 19:27
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    thanks. strict errors I'll clean up the errant code. – Carl McDade Apr 15 '15 at 02:21