Re: Am I the only one with doubts about .NET for commercial apps?

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From: Ray Cassick \(Home\) (rcassickNOSPAM_at_enterprocity.com)
Date: 05/15/04 

Date: Sat, 15 May 2004 15:44:28 -0400

1. Use an Obfuscator. That is not 100% but then again NOTHING is 100% if
there is someone out there that REALLY wants to use your stuff without your
permission.

2. Consider signing your stuff so at least then others will know that their
stuff is not your stuff. Also consider maybe writing most of your stuff in
managed code but then keeping the proprietary things in non-managed DLLs if
you are really worried.

The bottom line is that NOTHING is 100%, not even unmanaged code. The trick
is keeping 99% of the honest people honest.

"Rich S." <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ED7635A2-B32A-448C-B627-AF54E838524C@microsoft.com...
> Hello,
>
> Just like everyone else, I am excited about how easily one can create
Windows applications with the .NET platform, but for shareware, I have some
serious reservations.
>
> 1. Your code can be easily decompiled. This would make it very
difficult to implement any sort of license restrictions on your app, because
anything you write can be easily viewed and cracked. This also removes any
privacy for your intellectual property.
>
> 2. Jim Hubbard, in a previous post, informs me that there is really
no way to prevent someone from reusing one of your private assemblies in
their own application! I imagine that someone could simply remove your
trade marks and names, and slap on their own.
>
> So far, I have found only these two weaknesses, but these are BIG
weaknesses.
>
> Am I alone in thinking that .NET just isn't ready for commercial
software development? Or can someone point out something that I haven't yet
come across that mediates these weaknesses?
>
> .NET is all the rage, but I have yet to see these points seriously
discussed.
>
> Sincerely,
> Rich.

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