I would like to implement a security system to limit the number of installations of a program. I used to append this information at the end of the exe file, or at a hidden file on the user''s computer. What else do you guys suggest? Thanks, André Luiz Silva "There is no knowledge that is not power"

If you''re talking about multiple installations on a single computer, you could use the registry (but do something to the number like multiplying it by 5 or something to prevent people from just searching for it)
if you''re talking about multiple computers, the hidden file won''t work, and the problem with the number appended to the exe is that if the user makes a copy of the exe before installation he can make the installations he wants.
if the installation are supposed to interact, you could validate the interaction on the installations having different serial numbers (sort of a small scale Q3A)
If you get a little more specific, maybe we can too...

Já agora, que tal foi o Carnaval?


Alexandre Moura
alexmoura@hotmail.com

assuming you''re programming for a windows box, the registry would be a good place to hide stuff. microsoft has all sorts of things in there, as do most windows programs.

(by the way, do you play capoeira?)

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Look behind you! A three-headed monkey!

Thank you guys, your ideas were pretty interesting...

alexmoura: Eu não gosto de carnaval, mas foi muito bom.

guybrush: I don't play capoeira, but my brother does. But please don't think we just have monkeys, forests and capoeira here in Brazil. This is a wonderful place to live.

André Luiz Silva
"There is no knowledge that is not power"

Edited by - Andre Luiz Silva on 3/17/00 8:15:43 AM

Not at all! I was just curious. I don''t think Brazil is just "monkeys, forests and capoeira."

Axé.


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Look behind you! A three-headed monkey!

André, acabaste de escrever "é um bom lugar para deixar"
Já agora um comentário, quanto a mim ____uma____ das melhores coisas que o Brasil tem é a fauna e flora, não que o Brasil seja só isso.
(Vocês têm várias vezes mais tecnologia e população citadina que Portugal, por exemplo)

Alexandre Moura
alexmoura@hotmail.com

I am sorry guys. I got a bit nervous... Thanks alexmoura, I was in a hurry. Where are you from? Your portuguese is different but I can understand everything you write.

Obrigado e que a força esteja conosco.
(Thanks and may the force be with us.)

André Luiz Silva
"There is no knowledge that is not power"