Re: USB-Memorystick - serial number

Hi,

J French wrote:

...
I want to have a hardware token to which the software's registration is bound to. Everyone who has the token can register (anonymously) the software. No token, no registration. No registration, no running software. After registration the software runs without needing the token again.
<snip>

That was very interesting

You want a 'one time' dongle that you can physically distribute
- presumably the registration will involve some call back to momma to
make sure that the 'dongle' is not passed around

Not a one time token. The token is sold with the software. When the software is installed on a pc and shall be licensed, in this moment the token is needed. Anyone who owns the token is authorized to license the software. There is no need for the token *owner* to authenticate himself. So no calls to momma ;-). Licensing is completely anonymous. The data stored on the token for each licensing act are some of the pc's data and the licensing date. But as the owner holds the token, those data stay private.

After licensing the software can be used on the pc it was installed when licensed. The software needs to be licensed only once. A then licensed software runs without needing the token again. Anyone then can use the software on the pc it was installed when licensed.

Licensing enables the software to run and binds it to the pc it is running on. Licensing is necessary when the software is newly installed on a pc or when the hardware of the pc it runs on has changed significantly. In this case the software stops running and requires licensing again (for which one then needs the token again).

The token counts the number of licensing acts and allows a maximum number of licensing acts only (say 5). When the maximum number of licensing acts is reached, no further licensing act is possible.

The written license (the legalese stuff) authorizes the owner of the token to install and use 1 or 2 copies of the software on 1 or two computers. If two copies are installed, they must not be used in parallel. The extra amount of licensing acts available allows the owner of the token to relicense the software after a hardware change.

I think this method of licensing is a fair balance and least intrusive or bothering to the user.

Benefits for the software manufacturer:

The software manufacturer has little work with it. No Website for registration, no licensing web server, no emergency calls to the manufacturer middle in the night when hardware has changed and relicensing is necessary. No database tracking the given licenses. No verification of registration data (are the data of the one who wants to register real or a fake, is it a real name of a real person, is it really this person or had he choosen the personal data of a neighbour and so on). Regarding registration there is no more work to be done after the software has been sold.

Illegal spread or use of the software is confined to a number of 3.

However, as the user is told that he has at max 5 licensing acts, he will think twice wether he gives away licensing acts to "friends" or licenses in parallel on 5 pcs of his own. Eg if he uses one license himself and gives away four (which is illegal), he will not be able to use the software when his pc's hardware has changed. Or he has licensed in parallel 5 copies on different pc's of his own (which is illegal again), he will not be able to use the software on one of its pcs when hardware has changed.

On the otherside, if he uses one copy of the software a time, in accordance with the written license, he can change hardware up to 4 times. As minor hardware changes to not call for relicensing, he can use the software for 5 computer generations. This are say 5 * 4 = 20 years, assuming he uses a computer for four years!

So this licensing model basically awards the honest owner and punishes the dishonest one. And the dishonest user punishes himself :-)

Of course this number of maximum licensing acts is discussable. May be 6,7 would be fairer to the user without compromising the mf benefits too much.

Benefits for customers are:

User can reinstall at any time. So changing hardware is no problem. He is not forced to activate a software by giving away personal data. No fear that during registration any kind of data from or about his pc is transferred. No clumsy registration acts by phone, web server or the like. Just attach the token and the software will do the licensing.

Ok, and when the customer used up his number of licensing acts, he can demand for a new token, then charged with a reasonable fee. But then he has to give away his personal data, like his adress to which the token shall be send to. And he has to send the used token in prior to me. And this token has to be intact and not manipulated in any way.

Then when the user wants to sell his license. Currently I am thinking about how to handle it, but a decision has not been made until now.

I could just not allow that the license can be sold, but this has to be justified by laywers. Or I could allow it but demanding the same procedure as when the number of licensings act has been eaten up. Both (the seller and the buyer) would have to give their personal data. And the buyer would have to pay the fee.

Now, what's your and others oppinion to this licensing model? I am curious.

...
A major problem I've found with memory sticks is that the
manufacturers discontinue the model - very annoying.

No problem for me. My method is not bound to a certain manufacturer. All I need is a USB-memory stick having a serial id. Manufacturers and models used may change over time.

--
Ulrich Korndoerfer

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