--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCU00006 Date: 08/24/96 From: JAN FERGUSON Time: 09:20am \/To: HENK KOUWEN (Read 4 times) Subj: copyright protecting Hey Henk! Sunday August 18 1996 22:01, Henk Kouwen wrote to All: HK> What are ways to protect your program from being copied (and used...) HK> by someone else? There are many different ways, including hardware based systems (dongles, etc.) and software based systems (code libraries which require a key file be generated and placed in the program's home directory, etc.) HK> I am thinking about reading the serial number of a floppy drive, HK> and check this number as soon as the program is being started. *BAD IDEA* ...repeat ... *BAD IDEA*!!! HK> (I agree, the floppy must be in the drive, it is not nice to the HK> user, but in my case, it is acceptable) What type of program are you writing that needs this type of protection? You would run into a plethora of problems including but not limited to: 1) End user misplaces the diskette and can't run the program. You get calls from extremely angry customers. 2) Diskette becomes corrupted and end user can't run the program. Same calls from extremely angry customers. 3) Lack of sales. You may make a few sales of your software until word gets out that it has a floppy based protection scheme. 4) Returns of software already sold. 5) Inconvenience for the few customers you *might* keep because they need your software *SO VERY BADLY* that they are willing to put up with the diskette based protection scheme. Above you write, "...it is not nice to the user, but in my case, it is acceptable)". Let me ask you a question...Who do write your software for? If the answer is, "For other people." then you are being extremely self-centered and selfish when you take into account *YOUR* needs on a total basis and ignore theirs. Besides, these type of protection schemes are EXTREMELY easy to crack. That is one of the reasons other software companies and authors did away with it many years ago (besides the inconvenience factor). In this day and age with the number of hardware and software based protection systems which are transparent to the end user, why would *ANYONE* want to buy your software which would be such a hassle to run or own? I for one would never own or run such a program (with a diskette based protection system). I recommend you consider the "bread and butter" of why you write programs, namely your customers. Any protection system *MUST* , I repeat, *MUST* be not only acceptable to you BUT ALSO to your end user. HK> Who knows how to read a serial number from a floppy ??? This is a fundamental procedure, even if in a security based operation. -= Jan =- --- GEcho/32 1.20/Pro * Origin: Phoenix Data Systems - (954) 572-6086 (1:369/101) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCU00007 Date: 08/22/96 From: PETER COLLIS Time: 02:25pm \/To: ALL (Read 6 times) Subj: Delphi 2 Optimizations G'day All, I found something interesting in the way Delphi optimizes code in the snippet below. procedure _storeIDdata(s:string); var SP:TParse; fs:string; l:integer; begin SP := TParse.create; SP.setString(s); SP.setDlimiter(','); for l := 1 to 29 do fs := SP.getNextField; SP.free; end. SP is just an object i created to strip fields from a d'limited ASCII string, with optimizations off the variable l is incremented from 1 to 29 then the loop quits however with optimizations on it is reversed to count down from 29 to 1 then the loop quits. Anyone else encountered this. Pete. EMail:pcollis@ozemail.com.au --- OMX/Blue Wave v2.12 * Origin: Gates of Hell (3:713/914.16) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCV00000 Date: 08/24/96 From: ABB NAKLIE Time: 07:33am \/To: LANGLEY MCKELVY (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: .db Indexing -=> Quoting Langley Mckelvy to Abb Naklie <=- Hi Langley, LM> Try this: LM> . LM> FIELD TYPE SIZE KEY LM> ------------------------------- LM> Last_Name A 20 * LM> First_Name A 15 * LM> next etc.... LM> . LM> This will index on first and last name, allowing duplicate last names LM> but not duplicate first and last names. For example: MANY THANKS!!! If worst comes to worse, I could always throw in a middle initial field and key it. Great little trick. Having seen how much better the .db tables are to the .dbf's, I'd rather avoid the .dbf's. Too bad there isn't a Delphi book on Tricks and Traps like I have (from way back) on dBase III+ and IV. Take Care Abb ... Arrays: Something I wish I could program my boss to give me. --- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR] - JetMail v1.20 6 - Unregistered QWK Mail Door for Spitfire --- SFScan v2.00 * Origin: (1:246/89.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCV00001 Date: 08/24/96 From: ANDREAS BIRGERSON Time: 05:07pm \/To: GERARD GERRITSEN (Read 4 times) Subj: CD-Id? Hello Gerard! GG> You can do two things, read the UPC code from the cd. ( I do not know ow GG> to request that information from windows or the mmedia extensions ) did you ever succeed in doing this in dos - i have tried, but all i come up with is an empty field. many people talk about this but when it comes down to it nobody ever actually did this and succeeded it seems. has somebody ever actually succeeded in reading this field? andreas --- GEcho 1.20/beta+ * Origin: Lead me not into temptation. I can find it myself. (2:200/407) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCV00002 Date: 08/25/96 From: TOMMY USHER Time: 08:54am \/To: LARS HELLSTEN (Read 4 times) Subj: Delphi v2.0 - A few quest LH>I'm about to buy a copy of Delphi v2.0, but I'm not sure whether to get he LH>Desktop or Developer versions. Can someone tell me what exactly are the LH>differences between the two? I've been on Borland's web site, but ouldn't LH>seem to find any such information - I imagine there's some info there LH>somewhere, but there was so much other junk to wade through that after alf LH>an hour of not really finding anything useful, I just decided to ask here, LH>with my next step being to phone up Borland and just ask them. There are several differences. Which, if any, are important enough to affect your decision, is up to you. The Developer edition contains more components, the full source to the VCL, and a bit better documentation. To be honest, I wish I had held out for it. I happened to find the Desktop version at an incredibly low price, but it looks like I am going to end up buying the Developer version. LH>From what I know so far, it appears I don't need the Developer version. LH>I've LH>heard it described as "for professional programmers". I do plan to elease LH>programs I develop with it though. I don't really care about all these LH>features for interfacing with databases and whatnot though - I'm just an old LH>fashioned DOS programmer who wants to port a few of his programs to 32-bit LH>text mode Win95/NT applications, and perhaps sometime in the near future LH>I'll be developing applications that would benefit from a GUI. Well, in spite of what is claimed, my copy of the Desktop version does have the Install Shield software, which was a pleasant surprise. As to porting to "text-mode," that is possible, but it is also an ugly way to write a program. With Delphi, going to a GUI based program is so easy, it is a crime not to. LH>The second thing I want to know, is what's involved in porting an existing LH>DOS application (written in TP7) over to a Delphi 32-bit text mode app? Can LH>I compile my existing code with few modifications, or do I have to "OOP-ify" LH>it? Does Delphi v2.0 come with the equivalent of the DOS, CRT, and SYSTEM LH>units in TP/BP (functions like ReadLn, WriteLn, Assign, Reset, etc.) that LH>my current code would compile with, or would I have to write my own using LH>the LH>Windows API functions? Some of this exists, and others are available. I have a WinCRT unit somewhere around here, though I have yet to actually use it. You shouldn't have any major problems, and may be surprised at how easy it will be to port to a full GUI application. LH>Also, if anyone can answer this, how hard is it to develop communication LH>routines for Delphi? I do have experience with comm routines for Virtual LH>Pascal for OS/2, so I figure I should be able to manage - the one obstacle LH>I could forsee would be a lack of adequate documentation. There are a few comm packages available. LH>Anyway, if anyone could answer any of these questions, I'd greatly LH>appreciate LH>it... thanks. If you don't already have it, I strongly suggest that you get access to Compuserve. They have a Borland conference which is an excellent source of support and code. --- * QMPro 1.52 * Life is a lemon and I want my money back. --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: GC-BBS! (1:226/810.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCV00003 Date: 08/25/96 From: TOMMY USHER Time: 09:16am \/To: STEVE BATSON (Read 4 times) Subj: copyright protecting SB>While copy protection has it's place, my opinion of it for the most part s SB>that it is a royal pain for the user. It always causes problems in one of th SB>following areas: Backup, Install or reinstall, deinstall. Depending on the SB>scheme it can cause compatibility issues and/or other problems. Requiring SB>your SB>user to have the floppy in the drive would really be a pain because they SB>might SB>want to keep a data floppy in the drive for moving files between machines, SB>doing data backups, etc. Many people I know will absolutely refuse to buy SB>copy SB>protected stuff. Most of the large companies abandoned it years ago. If ou SB>have some specialty software or niche product that really needs protected, SB>the SB>least obstrusive I have seen is the device that plugs into the printer port. SB>Your software checks it for a serial number or something and wont run withou SB>it. Of course that could get expensive too and you'd have to add it to the SB>cost SB>of the software. Pretty much what I already said. I recall one program where they used a dongle, that I still haven't figured out why. It was a program that controlled this huge parts drawer system. The system was probably two or three stories high, and allowed one to type in a part number, and the specific drawer would be brought to the window. Now, without the machinery, the software was useless....and since I am sure the cost of the machine included the software, protecting it made little sense to me. --- * QMPro 1.52 * hAS ANYONE SEEN MY cAPSLOCK KEY? --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: GC-BBS! (1:226/810.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCW00000 Date: 08/26/96 From: LANGLEY MCKELVY Time: 10:19am \/To: ABB NAKLIE (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: .db Indexing AN> the .db tables are to the .dbf's, I'd rather avoid the .dbf's. Too AN> bad there isn't a Delphi book on Tricks and Traps like I have (from AN> way back) on AN> dBase III+ and IV. I agree, however you could always get some old Paradox for DOS books. Most of them have extensive infommation about table structures (which translates for the most part directly to Paradox for Windows tables). They are cheap now because of the move awauy from DOS based Paradox. * SPITFIRE v3.5 --- Alexi/Mail 2.02b (#12) * Origin: Database Connections BBS * USR DS 16.8 * 713-980-3234 * (1:106/4196) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCX00000 Date: 08/25/96 From: TAREK CHAMMAH Time: 09:10pm \/To: ZACK JONES (Read 4 times) Subj: Delphi Developer 2.01 (full version) -=> Quoting Zack Jones to Tarek Chammah <=- ZJ> Howdy Tarek! ZJ> 07 Aug 96 22:23, Tarek Chammah wrote to All: TC> I've heard of people saying that they have got the Delphi Update CD TC> (2.01) ZJ> Yup, I have mine %^) TC> wondering, is Borland now selling the full product (with the update) TC> in the stores or do I have to purchase Delphi Developer 2 and get TC> through Borland's Tech Support (Yikes!) to get the update? ZJ> If you don't get 2.01 from the store you don't have to deal tech ZJ> support to get the update all you have to do is call the order desk to ZJ> get the upgrade. ZJ> Take Care, Zack Jones Thanks for replying Zack, Ok, I got tired of waiting, so I got Delphi Developer, but it didn't have the update, so now I've sent my card for the update. The API help file in delphi 1.0 on the CD has lots of topics, it has a table of contents for everything in windows programming. However, in Delphi Developer, the API help file (Win32) only has one page on it, but it has to have more because it is 10 MB in size! Why didn't Microsoft include a table of contents in the Win32 API help file? That is the beauty of a help file, to go through it by category. It's like the World Wide Web, where there is no table of contents, so you have to search through everything, but Microsoft makes the Win32 API so why doesn't include an appropriate table of contents to its help file? Tarek Chammah ... Readers of the lost .ARC --- * Origin: The Brook * 519-858-0774 * E-Mail * 28.8 * 3 Nodes (1:2401/309) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 269 DELPHI Ref: DCX00001 Date: 08/25/96 From: TAREK CHAMMAH Time: 09:23pm \/To: DEREK BENNER (Read 4 times) Subj: Delphi Developer 2.01 (full version) -=> Quoting Derek Benner to Tarek Chammah <=- DB> Tarek, DB> DB> Given the time factor for shipments to retail software chains and the DB> fact that most chains like to leave the old product on the shelf DB> (Unless the box is radically different so that the customer KNOWS it's DB> old stuff.), I'd suggest that you buy straight from Borland's Order DB> Department if you are planning to buy withing the next 30-60 days. DB> Otherwise, you'll probably find that you have to pay for the 2.01 DB> upgrade disc anyway. (Now, of course, if you find that the Delphi DB> Developer 2.X box sitting on the shelf mentions the Internet stuff as DB> being in the box, then you can assume that it is 2.01 or newer.) DB> Derek Thanks for replying Derek, Ok, I got tired of waiting, so I got Delphi Developer, but it didn't have the update, so now I've sent my card for the update. The API help file in delphi 1.0 on the CD has lots of topics, it has a table of contents for everything in windows programming. However, in Delphi Developer, the API help file (Win32) only has one page on it, but it has to have more because it is 10 MB in size! Why didn't Microsoft include a table of contents in the Win32 API help file? That is the beauty of a help file, to go through it by category. It's like the World Wide Web, where there is no table of contents, so you have to search through everything, but Microsoft makes the Win32 API so why doesn't include an appropriate table of contents to its help file? Tarek Chammah ... "I'd love to help you out. Which way did you come in?" -- Groucho --- * Origin: The Brook * 519-858-0774 * E-Mail * 28.8 * 3 Nodes (1:2401/309)